COVINGTON, Ga. — The Covington City Council passed an ordinance to allow the council to meet with police and zoning officials to create another ordinance aimed at holding parents liable for criminal acts committed by their children.
The draft of the proposal would see the city council setting fines and jail time for parents whose children commit crimes.
Now that the city council has passed the initial plan to move forward with drafting those provisions, city leaders will meet with Covington Police and members of the Planning & Zoning Department to look at options to implement the plan at a future meeting.
The plan ordinance, to then draft a new set of liabilities in Covington, passed on April 20 4-2, allowing the city to move forward on a way to hold parents liable for their kids’ crimes could face thousands of dollars in fines and months in jail.
Documents shared with Channel 2 Action News by city officials show that the ordinance draft used as an example includes language to apply not only to natural parents, but any guardian or person with a child in their care over the age of 21.
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The ordinance in question lists a set of parental responsibilities for any parent, legal guardian or child custodian, as well as the crimes by children or minors in their care that would lead to violations and penalties.
Covington parents are required, per the ordinance, to keep “reasonable control over the child entrusted to their care.”
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That means they would have to protect the child from injury as well as prevent them from committing any criminal or delinquent acts.
Parents, guardians or custodians of children that fail to supervise their children can be lawfully charged with violations and face up to $2,000 in fines, 90 days in jail or both.
The ordinance says parents will have to do the following, though the list is not exhaustive:
- Keep controlled substances out of the home and out of children’s possession
- Keep guns away except for those used for hunting and under supervision
- Keep children regularly attending school
- Stop children from willfully or maliciously destroying property
- Stop children from committing acts that, as an adult, would be disorderly conduct
- Don’t let children steal or get stolen items
- Prevent children from obtaining or having alcoholic beverages
City officials said the next step is for council members to meet with the Covington Police Department and Planning and Zoning officials for additional action.
Editor’s note: This story was updated to clarify the ordinance draft process.
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