Florida Criminal Attorney Blog
A 31-year-old Largo man was arrested Friday night after he allegedly brought his 8-month-old son with him to buy drugs.
Police caught up with the man after his wife was pulled over for driving fast and erratically in Clearwater. She was apparently rushing to get to a home where she believed her husband had gone to buy drugs with their son in tow.
Police followed the woman’s directions and allegedly found the man’s car parked outside the
home with the child locked in the back seat.
Police claim the man was inside the home trying to buy crack.
Clearwater Fire Rescue was called to check on the child, who turned out to be fine and was returned to his mother.
The man was taken to jail and charged with child abuse. According to reports, he was wanted by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office on a domestic battery charge.
Child abuse is defined as any act that physically, sexually or emotionally injures or harms a child. Following allegations of child abuse, it is in your best interests to not speak about the charges with family members or law enforcement, as doing so can only make your situation worse. Crimes involving children carry severe punishments and often those charged with these crimes are presumed guilty by police, prosecutors and members of the community. Due to these speculations of guilt, child abuse charges must be defended from as early on as possible. Time is of the essence.
A child abuse conviction can result in lifelong consequences, including jail or prison time and the possibility of losing your parental rights. Pleading guilty to child abuse or being convicted of this criminal offense does not necessarily call for mandatory time behind bars. However, factors such as the circumstances leading up to the charge, severity of injuries, criminal history and probation or parole status can have some bearing on mandatory minimums and even lead to increased maximum sentences.
The crime of child abuse is one of the most emotionally fueled offenses within the Florida Court System. The Florida Criminal Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can use these emotional factors to build an effective and powerful defense on your behalf. We will investigate every facet of the charges and mount a defense based on protecting your rights and keeping you out of jail. Our number one priority is to help you minimize the consequences associated with a child injury crime. We know that child abuse charges can place you and your family in a tough situation, which is why we stand ready to help you in any way we can.
If you or a family member has been charged with child abuse in Clearwater, or throughout the state of Florida, contact the Florida Criminal Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call our Pinellas County office at 727-847-2299. You can reach us statewide and toll-free by dialing 1-866-608-5529.