Endangering the Life or Health of a Child

720 ILCS 5/12C-5 (was 720 ILCS 5/12-21.6)

Sec. 12C-5. Endangering the life or health of a child.

1. A person commits endangering the life or health of a child when he or she knowingly:
   1. causes or permits the life or health of a child under the age of 18 to be endangered; or
   2. causes or permits a child to be placed in circumstances that endanger the child’s life or health. It is not a violation of this Section for a person to relinquish a child in accordance with the Abandoned Newborn Infant Protection Act.
2. A trier of fact may infer that a child 6 years of age or younger is unattended if that child is left in a motor vehicle for more than 10 minutes.
3. “Unattended” means either: (i) not accompanied by a person 14 years of age or older; or (ii) if accompanied by a person 14 years of age or older, out of sight of that person.
4. Sentence. A violation of this Section is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation of this Section is a Class 3 felony. A violation of this Section that is a proximate cause of the death of the child is a Class 3 felony for which a person, if sentenced to a term of imprisonment, shall be sentenced to a term of not less than 2 years and not more than 10 years. A parent, who is found to be in violation of this Section with respect to his or her child, may be sentenced to probation for this offense pursuant to Section 12C-15.

(Source: P.A. 97-1109, eff. 1-1-13.)