Mohegan Sun Casino Child Endangerment Lawyer
While it is not against the law in Connecticut—and accordingly, not treated as illegal on Mohegan tribal lands—to bring a child under 18 into a casino or a similar adult-oriented establishment such as a bar, that does not mean you cannot face serious child endangerment charges after a visit to the Mohegan Sun under various other circumstances. When you are accused of committing domestic violence or specifically putting your child in harm’s way while on tribal land, you should strongly consider contacting a lawyer with extensive experience handling unique child endangerment cases within the Mohegan Sun Casino.
How State Law Defines “Risk of Injury to a Child”
Connecticut differs from many other states by not defining “child endangerment” as a distinct criminal offense within the Connecticut Penal Code. Instead, people accused of putting their child(ren) at risk of physical, emotional, and/or moral harm to a criminally actionable degree are generally prosecuted under one of two statutes listed in the Penal Code.
First, Connecticut General Statutes (C.G.S.) § 53-21 prohibits parents and guardians of children under 16 years old from causing or permitting their child to be put in any situation that endangers their life and limb and/or is likely to injure them physically or morally. This statute also prohibits permanently transferring or receiving custody of a child in exchange for compensation outside of lawful adoption proceedings, as well as having contact with the intimate parts of a child under 16 or making that child contact an adult’s intimate parts in a sexually indecent way.
The first and second acts mentioned above are categorized as Class C felonies punishable upon conviction by between 1 and 10 years in prison and a maximum of $10,000 in fines. The third act is considered a Class B felony with a 20-year maximum prison term and $15,000 in fines attached to a conviction. As a qualified attorney can further explain, though, leaving an infant under 30 days old with a designated employee of the Mohegan Sun Casino does not qualify as “risk of injury to a child” as per this statute.
When Is “Leaving a Child Unsupervised” Against the Law?
The second statute under which allegations of child endangerment may be prosecuted in Connecticut is C.G.S. § 53-21a, which addresses both leaving a child unsupervised inside a vehicle or a place of public accommodation and failing to report a child’s disappearance. Under this section of the Penal Code, any person with custody over a child under 12 years old who leaves that child unsupervised in a motor vehicle or place of public accommodation for a period of time that presents a substantial risk ot the child’s health or safety or who fails to report that child missing to law enforcement after having no contact with them and not knowing where they are for over 24 hours, has committed a Class A misdemeanor offense punishable by up to one year of jail time plus $2,000 in fines.
If a parent or guardian leaves their child under 12 in a place of public accommodation with a liquor license, their offense under this statute becomes a Class D felony carrying a five-year maximum prison term and a maximum of $5,000 in fines upon conviction. Finally, as a Mohegan Sun Casino child endangerment attorney can further explain, leaving a child under 12 unsupervised in a vehicle or a place of public accommodation between 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM for a period of time that presents a substantial risk ot the child’s health or safety can be prosecuted as a Class C felony.
Seek Help From a Mohegan Sun Casino Child Endangerment Attorney
Child endangerment charges can be extremely challenging to handle proactively and effectively, especially when you add the possibility of an investigation from the State Department of Children & Families (“DCF”) into the mix. Fortunately, you have assistance available from dedicated legal professionals who have helped many families like yours through similar situations.
Call today to learn how a Mohegan Sun Casino child endangerment lawyer from the Law Offices of Mark Sherman can assist you, and click here to learn more about what our previous clients have said about working with our team.