- Have you ever been convicted of a felony? Yes □ No □. If yes, please explain.
Most of us need not to think of this as a complicated question and would check the “No” box immediately. However, as the previous posting would indicate that leaving an unattended child or children in the vehicle can be criminally convicted and jail sentenced be imposed on an individual. These individuals would then have to explain the occurrence, which would result in the individual recalling the painful experience, during a formal interview.
In addition to the time spent to recuperate from the physical and emotional pain from the loss of a child or children, spending jail time, paying off fines, completing probations, community service hours, and also mandatory educational programs, the following are some of the consequences you face if you are found convicted of leaving children unattended in vehicles.
Parental rights: Obviously, some states do remove parental rights if the parent(s) are convicted of the felony due to unattended children left in vehicles. This occurrence may lead to complications for the children involved, which may include finding a new guardian, or even putting children for foster care if it is a single parent family.
Employment, volunteering, occupational and professional licenses: According to the National Inventory of Collateral Consequences of Convictions, convicted felonies have a drastic reduced chance to get some form of a job, volunteering, and or special licenses including a job-related occupational license such as truck drivers or electrician. Eg: in California, employers have the right to run background checks and choose not to hire a candidate based on their felony conviction record (www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/california-laws-employer-use-arrest-conviction-records.html).
Business License: For some people, starting their own business is part of their dream one day. However, should you be a convicted felon in some states, the chance of first obtaining a business license can be quite pain staking. A convicted felon would have to go through a hearing and a special appointed Commissioner, only then can the Commissioner determine a license that is appropriate for the felon.
Increase in Personal Health or/and Car Insurance: In some states, being a convicted felon can have the following insurance increased and even in some cases denied coverage. This would mean relying on friends and other members of the family, or public transportation to the destination desired. As a result, the convicted felon would have to devote more time and money to their travels, which may be a major challenge for them.
Driver’s license: To us having a driver’s license means freedom, and convenience. But in some states, suspension and up to revocation of driver’s license can be imposed. Not having a driver’s license for the rest of your life is a limitation if you are living in an area where public transportation is sparse.
Property rights: Returning to your home after a hard day of work can be quite stress relieving. But in some states, your housing rights can be taken away from you if you are a convicted felon. This would mean you may have to find other alternative ways, such as rent or sublet an apartment for your lifetime.
The following graph below shows some of the rights being revoked once you are a convicted felon depending on which state you are in. We have gone through the laws that protect unattended children left in cars, the punishments if those laws are broken, examples of additional accidents that may happen pertaining to unattended children left in vehicles, and the consequences you face if you are a convicted felon. I do hope that you would think twice when you debate whether or not you should leave your children unattended in a vehicle for convenience’s sake.
