Fort Lauderdale Criminal Attorney Blog
Parenting is no easy feat, as any caregiver can attest. However, anytime one assumes the responsibility of caring for a child, failure to provide certain basic services and protection can result in criminal charges – namely, child neglect.
Unlike child abuse, which involves actively inflicting physical or mental injury on a minor, child neglect in Florida involves a failure or omission to provide children with basic care, supervision and services necessary to maintain the child’s physical and mental health.
Per F.S. 827.03(e), that could mean failure to provide food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine and medical services that a child would need or that a reasonable person would consider essential for that child’s well-being. It could also mean failure to take reasonable steps to protect a child against abuse, neglect or exploitation. Continue reading
