DUI With Child Neglect

A woman in Virginia is charged with DUI and child neglect after allegedly driving drunk with her child in the car.

WAVY.com in Chesapeake Virginia reports that the woman was indicted for felony abuse and neglect of children, as well as the DUI offense and reckless driving.

While it doesn’t share a lot of details on the case, we know that she is a 22 year old mother who lives in North Carolina, and the grand jury saw fit to bring these serious felony charges of child endangerment along with the DUI and driving offenses. There are no details as to the circumstances, breath test results, or the driving behavior that lead to the police pulling her over. But if the charge includes reckless driving, that was likely the reason she was initially stopped.

Child endangerment while driving drunk takes what is usually a misdemeanor offense and adds the felony offense, while also creating a possible risk of loss of parental custody.

While judges don’t want to take children away from their parents, they also do not take health and safety risks to kids lightly. The legal problems here are both criminal and civil/probate (family court).

If you are accused of criminally endangering, abusing, or neglecting a child, you need legal help right away.

About David Matson