Child Abuse is charged in Fort Collins and Larimer County when you harm a child or put them in a situation where they could be harmed. A woman is facing this charge after hiring the ride-share company Lyft to take her 5 year old son to school. According to the report, the woman had requested the ride, and when the driver showed up, she put her child in the car and directed the driver to take him to school. The driver expressed that a minor cannot ride in the vehicle without an adult, but she didn’t listen. Instead of driving the child to school, the driver took him to the nearest police station and reported the incident. The woman was arrested and charged with Child Abuse.
Fort Collins Child Abuse Attorney: Definition of Child Abuse Via Lyft Ride
The Larimer County, Colorado law definition of Child Abuse – C.R.S. 18-6-401 – is:
By putting the child in the car, with an unknown person, her actions could meet the elements of this crime. It could be argued that she placed her child in a situation that poses the threat of injury.
Sentence for Child Abuse – No Injury in Loveland and Estes Park
Child Abuse is charged in Fort Collins, Loveland, and Estes Park based on the person’s intent and the injuries sustained by the child. In the case above, the child did not sustain any injuries, so it would be charged as a misdemeanor. If the DA determines that the mother acted knowingly or recklessly, then it is a class 2 misdemeanor. If the mother acted with criminal negligence, then it is a class 3 misdemeanor.