Initial charges are just to justify holding a person, more charges can always be added later when the prosecutor has taken more time to examine the case.
Comment on Baby dies after California mom leaves him in car to get lip filler on 101-degree day, police say
princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 hours ago
Now the 20-year-old mother has been charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter and two felony counts of willful cruelty to a child, according to court records.
Is it not a specific crime in California/US to leave a child locked in a car?? We don’t fluff around with that in Australia. Also have exceptions to property damage laws for bystanders breaking windows.
ayyy@sh.itjust.works 17 hours ago
princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 16 hours ago
If leaving a child in a car was a crime, you’d think they’d charge that up front?
SocialMediaRefugee@lemmy.world 17 hours ago
Most criminal laws are at the state level so it would be a CA law.
UNATTENDED CHILD IN MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY ACT
There is no need for a seperate law in the event of harm or death since that would just fall under existing harm/death of a child laws.
Pika@sh.itjust.works 10 hours ago
It likely is going to fall under child neglect. I don’t know of an actual law specifically for locking a kid in a car.
As for the exceptions thing, that is the same in the states, it usually falls under law(s) categorized as “Good Samaritan laws”. They are moreso meant to protect the bystander if they see someone in peril but, breaking the window to save a kid or pet that is clearly in distress would normally fall under that. Personal injury also usually fall under these laws, like if you accidentally injured someone getting them to safety when it was clear they were in a dangerous location, the laws usually apply.