Juveniles are charged with the same crimes as adults, like Assault or Menacing. The difference lies in the sentencing, as juvenile courts recognize that young people are not fully matured and a mistake should not ruin their future. That is most likely the case with the latest “Hot Water Challenge” perpetrators. Some boys were having a sleepover, and when one of them fell asleep, the others boiled water and poured it on him, causing first and second degree burns on his neck. The challenge has been circulating the internet and the boys who poured the water claimed to not know how hot it really was. If this had occurred in Greeley, Erie, or Evans, the boys would be facing Juvenile Assault charges because a burn is considered serious bodily injury. Maybe use cold water next time?
Weld County Juvenile Assault Lawyer: Definition of Second Degree Assault
The Weld, Morgan, and Logan County, Colorado law definition of Assault in the Second Degree – C.R.S. 18-3-203(1)(g) – is:
(g) With intent to cause bodily injury to another person, he or she causes serious bodily injury to that person or another;
Most likely, the boys did not intend to cause serious bodily injury, though they knew pouring hot water on someone would hurt. The important terms in this subsection are bodily injury vs. serious bodily injury. Bodily injury is any pain, so a push could meet the criteria. Serious bodily injury means:
The burns the boy sustained would meet the criteria of serious bodily injury.
Sentence for Assault in the Second Degree: No Mandatory Sentence to the Department of Youth Corrections for Juveniles
A conviction of Second Degree Assault in adult court is a class 4 felony crime of violence, which is punishable under the extended range 4 to 12 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Luckily, juvenile court does not adhere to the same sentencing guidelines because the focus is on rehabilitation instead of punishment for juveniles.
If you or your child has been charged with Second Degree Assault, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact the best Assault defense attorneys at 970-616-6009 today. Together, we can protect your future.
Image Source: Pixabay-Three-Shots