Legal Question in Criminal Law in Florida

Is this considered child endangerment?

If a single-mother places an ad on the internet for room to rent in her home, including pictures of her minor childen in the ad, stating that it's a fun place to live - is this considered child endangerment? Further, she rented the room to a 35yo man and did not conduct a background check on him. She is putting her children at risk. Is ther any recourse?


Asked on 7/24/08, 9:40 pm

3 Answers from Attorneys

Fleet Tilden TildenLaw

Re: Is this considered child endangerment?

I doubt there is any criminal exposure. Probably not the best thing to do and would not recommend displaying photos of any minor kids on the web.

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Answered on 7/25/08, 8:31 pm
Joshua Westcott Law Office of Ernest J. Mullins, P.A.

Re: Is this considered child endangerment?

Based on the context of what is provided in the hypothetical, it is doubtful that there is some criminal offense. Generally a charge dealing with the endangerment of children, such as neglect, abuse, or contributing to the delinquency, will involve an act by the person accused that is in some sense grossly negligent. e.g. Leaving your young child on the side of a freeway off ramp, because the child was fighting with a sibling in a car.

Stating that a residence is a fun place to live, and providing pictures of children sounds innocuous. Now if the context of the hypothetical showed that the woman was clearly offering to prostitute her children to sex offenders, that would be a different story.

In any event, not completing a background check on a tenant may be a bad idea, but is probably not grossly negligent.

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Answered on 7/24/08, 10:35 pm
Valerie Masters Valerie Masters, P.A.

Re: Is this considered child endangerment?

I don't agree she is putting her children at risk and no I don't any recourse.

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Answered on 7/24/08, 10:51 pm


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