720 ILCS 5/12C-5 – Endangering the Life or Health of a Child
This law makes it illegal to put a child’s life or health in danger on purpose.
This Illinois law says that it’s a crime to knowingly allow a child to be in danger or unsafe conditions. It also defines what “unattended” means for children and lists different punishments depending on how serious the situation is or if someone has prior offenses.
(a) A person breaks this law if they knowingly put a child under 18 in danger, or allow someone else to do so, in a way that could harm the child’s life or health. This includes leaving a child in unsafe situations. However, it is not against the law to safely give up a newborn under the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
(b) If a child who is 6 years old or younger is left alone in a car for more than 10 minutes, it can be assumed the child is “unattended.”
(c) “Unattended” means:
- The child is not with someone who is at least 14 years old, or
- The child is with someone 14 or older, but that person cannot see the child.
(d) Sentence: Breaking this law is a Class A misdemeanor. If someone does it again, it becomes a Class 3 felony. If the child dies because of the violation, it is also a Class 3 felony, and the punishment can be from 2 to 10 years in prison. A parent who violates this law may be given probation under Section 12C-15 instead of going to prison.
Contact us online or call (314) 900-HELP to talk with a Southern Illinois criminal defense lawyer.
