This Wednesday, October 12, 2022, a father was sentenced for leaving his child alone on the balcony in his underwear for almost an hour.
The facts took place in Laval, in Mayenne, this Sunday, October 9, at 6 p.m. Children passing by a building noticed the presence of a 4-year-old boy, alone and in his underpants, on a balcony. The shutters are closed, preventing him from entering the apartment. A neighbor then alerts the police who intervene. When they knock on the door, it is a man who has just come out of a nap who opens the door.
The Laval resident then justifies the presence of his son on the balcony on the pretext want to “sleep peacefully”, according to comments reported by Ouest France *. A position on which he has since returned, finally arguing that he had not lowered the shutters all the way down and that the child would have sneaked onto the balcony while he slept. The father of the family was tried on October 12, according to the procedure of immediate appearance. “I did not punish him. My son is everything to me, it’s my only family here”, repeats the man in the box of the court of Laval.
A father not fit to take care of his son
At the hearing, the boy’s mother testified: “On Sunday evening, I took him to pediatrics. He was on a loop, he said: ‘Dad shouts, dad hits, dad punishes, dad mean’.” According to her, her ex-husband is not fit to take care of their child. The latter already has 5 convictions on his criminal record and is being prosecuted for having harassed his ex-wife by telephone and threatening her with death in July 2022. Between July 1 and 2, he called him this 94 timesDay and night.
In addition, the 37-year-old defendant is used to consuming alcohol, narcotics and drugs. On Sunday, October 9, the mother had decided to entrust their son to him because the latter was claiming his father.
The court rendered its judgment
Regarding the death threats made against the mother and sometimes, in the presence of their son, the father of the family claims: “I didn’t mean everything I said, I just wanted to see my son.” But the mother says:We stayed 3 days locked up with a friend. Today I am having panic attacks.” Her lawyer is asking for €3,000 in damages for her and her son.
The prosecutor then requests 10 months in prison including 3 months with a probationary suspension of 2 years against the father of the family, including the obligation to take care of himself and the prohibition of contact with his son and his ex-wife. Moreover, the latter requested that the exercise of parental authority be withdrawn from her.
The father’s lawyer then points out the regrets that the defendant expressed on several occasions and the sentence falls. The court sentences the father to 8 months in prison including 4 months with a probationary suspension of 2 years with obligation of care and work and prohibition of contact with his ex-wife. The firm part of his 4-month sentence will be served at home (with an electronic bracelet).
The court ordered a compensation civil parties of €1,300 on his part and a withdrawal of his exercise of parental authority.