568.050. Endangering the welfare of a child in the second degree, penalties.
It’s against the law to neglect or put a child at risk through careless or harmful behavior.
This law makes it a crime to be careless or reckless in a way that puts a child under 17 in danger, or to encourage them to do things that could harm them or get them in trouble.
1. A person commits second-degree child endangerment if they:
- (1) Act with criminal negligence in a way that seriously risks the health or safety of a child under 17;
- (2) Knowingly help or cause a child to behave in a way that could get them into trouble with the courts as described in section 211.031;
- (3) As a parent, guardian, or caretaker, recklessly fail to properly supervise or care for the child, causing them to get into trouble as defined in section 211.031;
- (4) Encourage or cause a child to go into a place that is legally considered a public nuisance (like certain drug-related properties).
2. A child is not considered endangered just because their caregiver chooses a nonmedical, legally allowed form of treatment.
3. This crime is usually a class A misdemeanor, but becomes a class E felony if it’s part of repeated or group behavior.
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