An officer responds after a citizen finds a 3-year-old alone at an intersection; the child lives with the mother, who later returns and says no one was watching the children. What offense best fits this situation?

• A. Endangering the welfare of a minor
• B. Domestic violence
• C. Risk of injury 2 counts
• D. Child neglect

Answer: (C)

The situation tests understanding of when a guardian places a child in immediate danger by failing to supervise. Leaving a 3-year-old alone at a busy intersection creates a clear, real risk of harm to the child. Laws that charge risk of injury to a child focus on this kind of scenario—where the caregiver’s lack of supervision places a child in danger, even if no injury actually occurs. If there were two children left unattended, there could be two counts reflecting the two separate risks to each child.

While neglect or endangering welfare can apply in related contexts, this case centers on the presence of an immediate hazard created by the lack of supervision, which is the essence of the risk-of-injury charge. Domestic violence is not relevant to this situation.