2 Small Children Rescued by Police in 1 Week

According to a KSAT News report, police rescued 2 San Antonio children this week from busy streets in the middle of the night.

Early Monday morning, police received a call about a little boy alone on NW 36th Street near Brandywine. They took custody of the 4-year-old at 1:30 a.m., but he was not reported missing until 6 hours later.

Then, at around 5 a.m. this morning, police received another call about a little girl wandering near Loop 410, not far from Harry Wurzbach. They had her checked out by paramedics but couldn’t communicate with her because she didn’t appear to speak English or Spanish. She was reunited with her mother shortly thereafter.

Did You Know?

San Antonio has a large amount of critically missing children compared to other cities, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Child Abandonment and Endangerment Laws in San Antonio

Many San Antonio parents face seemingly endless demands on their time and energy nowadays. It’s not uncommon for busy parents to leave their kid in the car or at home when running a quick errand — sometimes, it seems like they have no choice. But is that legal? This article will discuss what constitutes child abandonment in San Antonio.

Abandoning a Child – Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.041.

Texas law does not specify what age a child needs to be to be left home alone safely. A child is anyone under the age of 15 under this code. Child abandonment is defined in this section as leaving a child (under the age of 15) in a place where they are not properly provided for and where no other reasonable adult in a similar situation would leave a child of that age or ability.

A person can commit this offense in two of the following ways:

1. Leaving a child under 15 where they are in an unreasonable risk of harm
2. Acting in a way that puts a child under 15 at risk of bodily injury, physical and mental harm, or death.

If you are charged with abandoning a child, you could face the following penalties:

• State Jail Felony – Abandoned the child but intended to return. 6 months to 2 years jail and up to $10,000 fine.
• Third-Degree Felony – Abandoned the child and did not intend to return. 2 to 10 years jail and up to $10,000 fine.
• Second-Degree Felony – Abandoned the child in a place where they face imminent danger of bodily injury, physical or mental harm, or death. 2 to 20 years prison and up to $10,000 fine.

Leaving a Child in a Vehicle — Sec. 22.10.

Children can sometimes be left in the car while you run an errand. But, a parent may face endangerment charges if they leave a child in the car for more than 5 minutes when:

• The child is younger than 7
• And/or is not with someone at least 14 years old.

A parent who leaves a child in their vehicle under the above guidelines could face legal penalties. This offense is a Class C Misdemeanor and is punishable by a fine of up to $500.

Hire Carabin Shaw Criminal Defense Attorneys

A child endangerment charge could seriously impact your and your child’s lives. Contact the criminal defense attorneys at Carabin Shaw with 30 years of experience if you are facing a child endangerment charge in San Antonio. We put our clients first because we care. Contact our team today at 800-862-1260 or via the live chat at the bottom right of your screen. We look forward to serving you.