Law Office of Michael L. Fell
900 Roosevelt Irvine, CA 92620
(949) 585-9055

4 Potential Defense Options to a Charge of Child Neglect in California

Child neglect is one of those charges that many people are so uncomfortable with that they assume that the accused is guilty before hearing all the facts. Just being charged with or accused of child neglect can ruin your reputation. This is why you need a strong defense based on your situation. Keep reading to learn about four potential options, then contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 for a free legal consultation.

  1. You Have No Parental Responsibility for the Child
  2. Child neglect involves a parent or legal guardian not caring for their child. If there is no evidence that you are the father, or if you are a parent who has signed over your legal rights to another party or the state, then you cannot be held accountable for the care of the child – in most situations.

  3. You Did Not Deliberately Neglect the Child
  4. If you are not in regular contact with the child then you may not have even known they were in a dangerous situation. This would mean that you had no intent and therefore no crime has occurred. If you did know about the situation but offered food, cash, clothing, etc. and the other parent would not accept it to take care of your child, then you may be found not guilty of neglect as well.

  5. You Had a Lawful Reason for the Action
  6. If your child went without food because you could not afford food, then you should not be held accountable for what you could not afford. However, note that the prosecution will likely try to show that you did have the funds but spent them on yourself, or that you refused to work to earn the wages to care for your child.

  7. Your Child Was Not Neglected
  8. There are several reasons a person may purposefully or accidentally report you for child neglect when you are guilty of nothing of the type. For many people who have money, simply being poor is a form of neglect. If you have not been neglected your child at all, then we will work to show that the very basis of these criminal charges is flawed and inaccurate.

This is the Most Important Step to Take

No matter what the situation is, no matter if your guilty or innocent, the next step should be to call a criminal defense attorney. Do not talk to the police without us there. Do not assume that because you are not guilty, you can talk to them openly. Contact Law Office of Michael L. Fell at (949) 585-9055 now and request a free legal consultation.