York Mother Faces Attempted Homicide Charges For Allegedly Stabbing 5-Year-Old Daughter
For the 13th consecutive month, parents across the country are at their breaking point. The emotional and financial stress of the pandemic never seems to end, on top of the emotional and financial stress that the parents of young children were already dealing with before the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Pennsylvania. The crime statistics of the past year reflect how life has changed: fewer home burglaries and fewer assault charges resulting from barroom brawls, but more drug use and more domestic violence, including against children. The story of horrifying events that transpired in York, Pennsylvania has dominated news headlines this week, but news outlets have not released details about the circumstances leading up to the attack, no reports about warning signs, mental health crises, or attempts to seek help. If you are facing criminal charges for family violence, contact a Pennsylvania violent crimes defense lawyer.
The Many Faces of Child Endangerment
The situations that can result in child endangerment charges in Pennsylvania are many. You can get criminal charges for child endangerment even when no children suffered physical harm; the charges apply simply if you put the children in a situation where there was substantial risk of injury. It can be as simple as leaving young children home alone, or even leaving them in the car in the supermarket parking lot while you are inside buying groceries. Likewise, you can get charged with child endangerment if the police pull your car over, and a child riding with you is not in a child safety seat. Many child endangerment charges also result from drug arrests where the police find drugs in residences where children live. Of course, child endangerment charges also apply in the cases where an adult physically harms a child.
In the News
At 7:30 in the morning on April 13, Cierra Allen’s 9-year-old son called his grandmother to tell her that he was ready for her to drive him to school. Ten minutes later, she received a call from Allen herself, saying that she had stabbed her five-year-old daughter. When the grandmother arrived at the house, she found the girl with stab wounds to her abdomen; both children confirmed how the injuries had happened. The grandmother drove the child to the nearest hospital; an air ambulance then transported her to Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey. She is expected to survive. Allen faces charges of attempted criminal homicide, aggravated assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. News outlets did not report whether Allen has been released on bail or whether she has entered a plea.
Contact an Attorney for Help
Even as the legal system has begun to show more compassion for people accused of nonviolent crimes, charges of violent crime remain the scariest of all. A Pittsburgh violent crimes lawyer can help you if you are accused of injuring or attempting to injure another person. Contact the law offices of Gary E. Gerson about your case.
Resource:
pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021/04/15/york-mother-cierra-allen-5-year-old-daughter-stabbed/
