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Capital Update Caylee’s Law
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Capital Update Caylee’s Law
July 8, 2011
St. Rep. Mike Cierpiot 56th District
Caylee’s Law
In the wake of the Casey Anthony verdict, many states are making plans to adopt some version of what will be known as “Caylee’s Law.” The goal is to prevent similar situations where a missing or deceased child is not reported to the proper authorities by the parents. One proposal would make it a felony offense for a parent or guardian who does not notify authorities within 24 hours of a child’s death. Here in Missouri, talk of potential legislation hasn’t come to the forefront at this time, but we are carefully looking at our existing laws to ensure they are adequate to prevent similar tragedies.
Our existing laws make it clear that anyone who abandons or disposes of a corpse without properly reporting the location of the body to law enforcement is guilty of a felony offense. Current law also addresses the issue of reporting the death of a child. It is a misdemeanor offense for anyone with responsibility for care of a child who fails to report abuse, neglect or death. These individuals, which would include parents, are considered mandatory reporters for suspected death or abuse for a child under the age of 18. One area that our current law does not address is the issue of notifying law enforcement when a child is missing. We have no statute that specifically addresses a parent’s obligation to report a missing child to law enforcement. However, failure to report a missing child could arguably be classified as endangering the welfare of a child, which is a felony offense.
Taken together, existing law seems to address many of the issues that have been raised by the Casey Anthony verdict. However, the question remains whether we can further strengthen them to ensure heinous crimes committed within our borders do not go unpunished. During the coming months we will continue to review our laws to ensure they provide adequate protections for our young people.
Lee’s Summit Town Hall Meeting
On Monday, July 25, 2011, Senator Will Kraus will be hosting a town hall meeting in Lee’s Summit. As your state representative I will be there as well to discuss this year’s legislative session and answer any questions that you may have about state government. The town hall meeting, open to all residents, will be held at the Lee’s Summit City Hall - City Council Chambers, 220 SE Green, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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