Child endangerment charges are serious felony offenses that threaten your freedom, parental rights, and future. Whether accusations stem from accidents, misunderstandings, false allegations in custody disputes, or genuine mistakes in judgment, you need immediate experienced defense representation to protect your rights.
At Keys Criminal Defense, our Key West child endangerment lawyer understands the emotional and legal details of these cases. We investigate thoroughly, challenge weak evidence, expose false accusations, and provide aggressive defense representation fighting to protect your freedom, reputation, and family while ensuring the best possible outcome. Don’t go to court alone. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a skilled criminal defense attorney.
Child endangerment encompasses various criminal offenses involving conduct that places children at substantial risk of harm. Florida Statute 827.03 prohibits willfully or through culpable negligence exposing a child to abuse, neglect, exploitation, or actively encouraging another person to commit such acts against a child.
The law recognizes both active endangerment, in which adults deliberately place children in dangerous situations, and passive endangerment, where failure to act or provide proper care creates substantial risk. A child is defined as anyone under 18 years old. Common child endangerment scenarios include:
Prosecutors do not need to prove actual injury occurred, merely that your conduct created a substantial risk of physical or mental harm. The key element in these charges is demonstrating you either acted willfully with knowledge of the danger or showed culpable negligence by recklessly disregarding obvious risks to the child’s safety and well-being. During an initial consultation, a Key West attorney from our firm can examine the facts of your situation to determine how to craft a defense against your child endangerment charges.
The state imposes severe penalties for child endangerment under Fla. Stat. § 827.03, with consequences varying based on the offense’s severity. Standard child endangerment without aggravating factors is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and fines up to $5,000.
When child endangerment results in great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement, charges escalate to a second-degree felony carrying up to 15 years in prison and fines up to $10,000. Aggravated child abuse involving torture, malicious punishment, or willfully causing great bodily harm constitutes a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Beyond incarceration and fines, convicted individuals face mandatory reporting to the Florida Abuse Hotline Central Registry, making them ineligible for employment in childcare, education, or healthcare fields. Courts often impose probation with strict conditions, mandatory parenting classes, substance abuse treatment, anger management, and supervised visitation or complete loss of parental rights. Working with a Key West attorney could help you to avoid harsher penalties if convicted on charges of child endangerment.
If you have been charged with child endangerment in Key West, you can either negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor or defend against the charges with help from a skilled attorney. Here are some defenses that you can use in your case:
When possible, our legal team may also argue there is insufficient evidence to convict you of a crime.
Child endangerment is a serious charge, and it can lead to both the loss of your parenting rights and a potential jail sentence. You need to have legal representation to help you deal with these charges. Contact our team at Keys Criminal Defense, PLLC to schedule a consultation with a Key West child endangerment lawyer.
