State Law Addresses Unsupervised Children
State Law Addresses Unsupervised Children
Before you leave your 11-year-old in the car while you run a quick errand, you might want to know what Connecticut state law says on the subject.
To address the issues posed by unsupervised children in a parked motor vehicles, or in public places, Newtown police enforce a state criminal law that directly deals with such situations.
Depending upon the specific nature of the offense, the violation may result in the responsible person being charged with a Class A misdemeanor, a Class D felony, or a Class C felony.
In the legally least serious situation, any parent, guardian, or person having custody or control or providing supervision, of any child under the age of 12 years who knowingly leaves such a child unsupervised in a place of public accommodation, or in a motor vehicle, for a period of time that presents a substantial risk to the childâs health or safety, shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
In a more serious violation, any parent, guardian or person having custody or control or providing supervision, of any child under the age of 12 years who knowingly leaves such child unsupervised in a place of public accommodation, which holds a permit for the sale of alcoholic liquor for consumption on the premises, for a period of time that presents a substantial risk to the childâs health or safety, shall be guilty of a class D felony.
In the most serious violation, any parent, guardian or person having custody or control or providing supervision, of any child under the age of 12 years who knowingly leaves such child unsupervised in a place of public accommodation, or in a motor vehicle, between the hours of 8 pm and 6 am for a period of time that presents a substantial risk to the childâs health or safety, shall be guilty of a class C felony.
The state law concerning the presence of unsupervised children in parked motor vehicles or in other public places, falls under a general category of crimes known as risk of injury to a minor.
The law on unsupervised children took effect in October 1997.