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State v. Anonymous Defendant (Child Endangerment)
Parent left young children home alone for extended period. Neighbors called police. Question of whether circumstances constitute criminal endangerment.
Charges
- •Child Endangering (Ohio Revised Code § 2919.22)
Case Facts
Review the established facts of this case
- 1Defendant left two children (ages 8 and 10) home alone
- 2Defendant was gone for approximately 6 hours (2 PM to 8 PM)
- 3Defendant went to work after childcare arrangements fell through
- 4Defendant left food, emergency numbers, and instructions
- 5Defendant called children twice during absence to check on them
- 6Neighbor called police at 7 PM after seeing children alone
- 7Police found children watching TV, no signs of distress
- 8Home was clean, well-stocked with food, no hazards observed
- 9Children told police they felt safe and knew what to do in emergency
- 10Defendant is single parent with no family support in area
- 11Defendant had no prior child welfare involvement
- 12Defendant could not afford to miss work shift
- 13No actual harm came to children
Your Verdict
Based on the evidence and applicable law, what is your verdict?