When you hear someone has been accused of Child Abuse in Weld, Morgan, or Logan County, it’s easy to wag your finger in disgust. But, it’s important to understand just how easy it is to face this accusation. An accident can become even more heartbreaking once a grieving parent is charged with Child Abuse. Let’s look at a recent case in order to get a better idea of how Child Abuse is charged.
Accused of Child Abuse for an Accident
Late last year, a Colorado woman was charged with Child Abuse after a foster child she was supervising nearly drowned in a hot tub. According to reports, the family was hanging out by the pool when they decided to eat lunch. The foster mother checked on the children (who were fine), and then went to make lunch. Seconds later, the 5-year-old was missing. He was found face down in a hot tub with 18 inches of water. He was rushed to the hospital, but suffered severe brain damage because of the accident. The foster parents were devastated – they were planning on adopting the child. Now, the couple’s heartbreak over the injury of a child they considered to be their own was aggravated by the fact that they were charged with Child Abuse. The family was devastated – the foster mother could no longer work, and has been attending trauma counseling to deal with her grief.
In the midst of grief, this family must face Child Abuse charges.
How is Child Abuse Charged?
Child Abuse – C.R.S. 18-6-401, is charged in Greeley, Evans, and Erie whenever a person “causes an injury to a child’s life or health, or permits a child to be unreasonably placed in a situation that poses a threat of injury to the child’s life or health, or engages in a continued pattern of conduct that results in malnourishment, lack of proper medical care, cruel punishment, mistreatment, or an accumulation of injuries that ultimately results in the death of a child or serious bodily injury to a child.” The Colorado woman was most likely charged with a class 4 felony, which is charged when a person “acts with criminal negligence and the child abuse results in serious bodily injury to the child.”
Why You Need an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have been accused of Child Abuse, you need to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. This is because Weld County District Attorneys don’t always take into account whether or not an incident where a child was injured or killed was an accident. You could be facing criminal charges as well as dealing with the grief of an injured child. Defending yourself when you have been charged with Child Abuse is crucial – you need to protect your future, as well as the future of your other children. Don’t stand alone in court when the victim was a child. Contact an attorney who will fight hard for your future.
If you or a loved one has been accused of Child Abuse in Greeley or Weld County, be smart, exercise your right to remain silent, and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney at the O’Malley Law Office for a free consultation at 970-616-6009. Together, we can protect your future.
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