An unattended child left in vehicle while a parent runs a quick errand is a crime in Wagoner, Oklahoma. Many children die each year from being left in cars.
The temperature in a car can rise quickly. Ten minutes may be all that is needed to turn a car into a death trap.
Prohibition Against Unattended Child Left in Vehicle
Oklahoma is one of a number of states to enact legislation meant to prevent child endangerment over an unattended child left in vehicle.
Called the “Forget-Me-Not Vehicle Safety Act,” the laws are meant to deter parents or other caregivers from leaving children or vulnerable adults alone and unattended in vehicles.
You may not leave either a child under six years of age or a vulnerable adult beyond your direct ability to care for or come to their aid if the present conditions include extreme weather, inadequate ventilation, or hazardous or malfunctioning components within the vehicle sufficient to present a risk to the health or safety of the unattended child or vulnerable adult. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 11-1119
Penalties
An unattended child left in vehicle is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma, and is punishable by a fine. The fine increases with each conviction. A fine for a first offense may be $50. The fine for a second conviction runs not less than $100, and the parent may be ordered to perform at least 50 hours of community service.
A third or subsequent conviction carries a fine of at least $200. In addition, the full record of that person’s convictions of the violations of this statute will be submitted to the Department of Human Services for evaluation. This could result in any number of actions taken by the Department of Human Services to further protect the child or children involved.
If you leave the child or vulnerable adult unattended in a vehicle on the premises of any establishment where alcohol is sold, or if you leave the child or vulnerable adult unattended in a vehicle while you are consuming alcohol, the fine jumps to a minimum of $500.
Finally, the statute is clear that if the situation warrants it, you may be prosecuted under any other statute that might also apply. If you leave a child unattended, you could also be prosecuted for child endangerment or child neglect. You could go to jail.
Initial Strategy Session: Wagoner Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are accused of the crime of an unattended child left in vehicle in Oklahoma, talk to an experienced Wagoner criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Do not wait and do not speak to the police. Remember that everything that you say to them can and will be used against you.
For a low-cost consultation, call Wirth Law Office – Wagoner at 918-485-0335.
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