Illinois Child Abandonment Definition

Leaving a young child home alone in Illinios may result in charges of child abandonment.

Parents or guardians who leave their children unattended for an extended period of time may be charged with child abandonment. Illinois has a specific definition of what constitutes child abandonment.

Definition

Any person having custody of a child under the age of 13 who leaves the child alone, without the supervision of a person over the age of 14, for more than 24 hours and does not consider the child's health, safety or welfare has abandoned the child, according to the Indiana criminal code.

Considerations

Custodians of babies who are left in compliance with the state's Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act are not considered to have abandoned their child under the state's criminal definition. Factors including the number of children left alone, any special needs of the child, the custodian's location while the child was alone and if the child was provided with an emergency contact are considered when deciding if the child has been abandoned.

Warning

Child abandonment is considered a Class 4 felony for first time offenders and a Class 3 felony for repeat offenders in the state of Illinois. HG.org notes that the minimum prison term for Class 4 offenders was one year, as of December, 2010, with the minimum term for Class 3 offenders was two years.

References

• Illinois Criminal Code: Article 12-Bodily Harm
• HG.orgL Felony Process in Illinois