Is it against the law to leave a child in a car alone in NC? What legal experts say
Now that it’s summer, more kids may be tagging along with their parents or guardians for errands while out of school. But is it illegal in North Carolina to leave them alone in the car if you want to run into a store or business?
Legal experts say it depends on the circumstances, but the criminal consequences of doing so could include a conviction for child abuse.
“These cases are always going to be very fact specific,” Joseph Hyde, an assistant professor of public law and government at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill told The Charlotte Observer. “The longer the child is in there, the more chances there are you’re going to get a charge for child abuse.”
In North Carolina, it is a felony for the parent or anyone supervising a child under 16 “whose willful act or grossly negligent omission in the care of the child shows a reckless disregard for human life is guilty of a Class E felony if the act or omission results in serious bodily injury to the child.”
It is also a misdemeanor for the parent or person providing care to a child under 16 to create or allow a substantial risk of physical injury to the child by other than accidental means.
Risks Of Leaving Your Child In A Vehicle
Leaving a child alone in a vehicle is dangerous no matter what time of year. But during the summer with the weather heating up, health officials say prolonged exposure to heat can lead to dehydration, overheating, heat illness and even death.
According to the state health department, 38 children across the U.S. under the age of 15 die each year from heat stroke after being left in a vehicle.
“Never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, even for a few minutes, as temperatures inside a car reach a deadly level quickly,” NCDHHS said in a media release warning of heat-related illnesses during the summer.
Health officials say temperatures inside a car can rise almost 20 degrees within the first 10 minutes, even with a window open.
To prevent and reduce the number of heat-related injuries and deaths, the North Carolina Office of State Fire Marshal recommends the following tips:
Avoid heat stroke-related injury and death: Never leave a child alone in a car and make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids don’t get in on their own.
Create reminders: Keep a stuffed animal or other object in your child’s car seat when it’s empty and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. You can also place your phone, briefcase or purse in the backseat when traveling with your child.
Take action: If you see a child alone in a car, call 911.
This story was originally published July 14, 2023 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Is it against the law to leave a child in a car alone in NC? What legal experts say."
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