Orangeburg County Child Endangerment Lawyer

While any conviction for offenses like driving under the influence can result in significant consequences, the sanctions associated with these kinds of offenses become much more severe if the offense in question puts a child in harm’s way. In addition to enhanced criminal penalties, state law allows for automatic driver’s license suspension and additional consequences for certain forms of child endangerment.

If you have been accused of putting your own child or anyone else’s at risk of injury, speaking with an Orangeburg County child endangerment lawyer may be a good idea. Once retained, your experienced defense attorney could go over the circumstances of your case with you, help you understand your charges, and work on your behalf to reduce the impact those allegations have on your future prospects.

What Actions Constitutes “Child Endangerment”?

In South Carolina, child endangerment is not the same as child abuse or neglect. Instead, South Carolina Code of Laws §56-5-2947 defines child endangerment as a unique criminal offense that is related to certain types of traffic offenses. As per this section of state law, a person may face additional charges for child endangerment if they commit one of these offenses while they have one or more children under the age of 16 in their vehicle with them:

• Not stopping their vehicle when signaled by law enforcement to do so
• Driving under the influence
• Driving with an unlawful alcohol concentration
• Felony DUI

A conviction for child endangerment is punishable by one-half of the fine and/or term of imprisonment associated with the underlying offense, as well as an automatic 60-day license suspension and—for cases involving drunk driving—mandatory installation of an Ignition Interlock Device for three months. Notably, these penalties would be in addition to any penalties stemming from a conviction for the underlying offense.

As per S.C. Code §56-5-2947(G), a first conviction for child endangerment cannot serve as grounds by itself for a child to be taken into protective custody. However, subsequent convictions or a first conviction paired with other evidence could result in the loss of custody rights, as an Orangeburg County child endangerment attorney could explain in more detail.

Mitigating Possible Sanctions in Orangeburg County

The best course of action for fighting against child endangerment charges will vary depending on the unique circumstances of a defendant’s arrest. In general, though, contesting child endangerment charges revolves around contesting the underlying offense that led to those charges, since child endangerment as defined by state law cannot occur without such an offense occurring first.

Accordingly, it may be possible to challenge the notion that a defendant actually endangered their child by arguing that they did not meet the criteria necessary for a DUI charge, or that they were earnestly unaware that a police officer was signaling for them to pull over. Working with a qualified lawyer can be key to constructing a strong defense strategy for a particular child endangerment case in Orangeburg County.

Talk to an Orangeburg County Child Endangerment Attorney

Allegations of child endangerment should always be taken serious, as they could result in felony-level consequences even if you have never faced conviction in criminal court before. Being found guilty of child endangerment could leave you with numerous restrictions on your driving privileges even if you avoid spending time in jail or prison, and the personal and professional impacts of such a conviction could linger for years to come.

Fortunately, an Orangeburg County child endangerment lawyer could work with you to seek a positive resolution to your criminal case. Call today to learn more.