Westport Risk of Injury DCF Investigations
Risk of injury to a minor is an all-encompassing offense, so if there is any sort of child abuse, a person can be criminally arrested for risk of injury to a minor for the injury that they inflicted on the child. Child abuse is something that the Department of Children and Families investigates and they substantiate or un-substantiate those specific allegations. Essentially, risk of injury is criminal and child abuse is DCF.
The DCF is contacted in almost all circumstances where there is a risk of injury allegation. The police will make a referral to DCF. DCF responds to risk of injuries by opening an investigation, interviewing the family and deciding if the investigation is going to be a full investigation or what is called a family assessment response (FAR) investigation and then they take it from there. If you want to know more about Westport risk of injury DCF investigations, consult a knowledgeable lawyer that can advocate for you.
What Are Some Common Scenarios Leading to Risk of Injury Arrests?
The most common scenarios for risk of injury are when a couple gets into an argument and someone’s arrested for domestic violence and the children are around or near the argument, then the police will also charge risk of injury for the children being there. A person would be arrested immediately for risk of injury to a minor in Westport when the police arrive on the scene after they have been informed about it.
In a possible risk of injury situation, if during the Westport risk of injury DCF investigations, they find probable cause, they will make an arrest on the spot. If DCF finds that there is credible evidence that there has been child abuse, they will share that information with the police. If the police choose to go get a warrant for that situation, then the person will be arrested by warrant.
Different Charges a Person Might Receive
In Westport, someone could be charged with leaving a child unsupervised in a public place or accommodation or a motor vehicle. That is a misdemeanor. If the child is under 12 years old and someone leaves them in the car while the car is in public, then they can be charged with that.
For excessive discipline or corporal punishment of a child in Westport, someone would be arrested for risk of injury which is entitled risk of injury or risk of injury, impairing the morals of a child. If the child is below 16 years of age and if the person endangers the child’s life, or limb, or their health, or their morals, then the person would be charged with that.
What Are the Stages of a Westport DCF Investigation?
Westport DCF investigations start with the initial investigation that DCF has 45 days to complete. If DCF opens a full investigation, they will ask for the releases and interview everyone involved and keep track of the family and make house visits, and at the end of the investigation. Both FAR and full investigations take 45 days to complete and then they will close it and they will either substantiate or unsubstantiated the allegation.
DCF investigators collect all the information possible. They interview therapists, doctors, school officials, they interview family members and they try to get as much information as they possibly can when investigating.
Arraignments and Conditions of Release
During a court arraignment for risk of injury allegations in Westport, the court conducts an arraignment. Therefore, that would be if the person is still in jail, the court would review their bond. The court also has a protective order hearing where the court decides what type of protective order should be put in place to protect a child.
If following Westport risk of injury DCF investigations, the police find that the accused is a danger to the child, they will put in conditions of release that will require the person to leave their home until court. There are three different types of protective orders that can be put in place for a Westport risk of injury allegation. The first is a partial protective order. That means that the defendant cannot assault, threaten, abuse, harass, stalk, interfere with, or follow the child.
The second will be a residential stay away which is all of those that are in a partial and, as well, barring the person from going to the house and the third would mean that the defendant is not allowed to approach the house or the child, and cannot try to contact the child through a third party. A Westport domestic violence lawyer can argue against court-imposed conditions at the time the court is about to impose the conditions but the judge makes the call at the end of the day.