It is always infuriating when someone else drinks the last of your alcohol without permission. A babysitter in Utah discovered this feeling of disappointment recently when the last of her vodka was consumed by someone other than herself. Typically, this ends in a few nasty words or a stern look of disappointment. However, on this particular occasion a different kind of approach was taken by the babysitter.
According to local authorities, the babysitter was watching four teenagers when at some point she broke out the booze and gave the teens permission to sample some of it. However, the teens ended up drinking every last drop of the alcohol, which led to a quarrel. Instead of scolding the kids, the babysitter locked them in the home’s garage, claiming they were her slaves for consuming the alcohol.
After locking the teens in the garage, the adult babysitter proceeded to extort money from them, demanding they open their wallets and give her the contents. One would expect this would have been the end of the matter, however the babysitter perhaps feeling as though additional reparations were owed, kept them locked in the garage for an unspecified amount of time. It was not until one of the teenagers escaped through a window and called family members that the imprisonment came to an end.
At some point one has to question the judgement of the babysitter. First, giving alcohol to minors under her care and second, when things went south it could be argued the babysitter did not respond appropriately. In Utah, providing alcohol to minors is considered a Class A Misdemeanor and could carry a stiff penalty including up to a $2,500 fine and up to one year in jail. Setting aside the alcohol charges and looking simply at the charge of unlawful detention, a Class B Misdemeanor in Utah, the punishment could include up to a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail. The babysitter could also be ordered to pay restitution to the family of the imprisoned teenagers as well as court costs and fees.
The real question lies in whether a sentence of imprisonment and a hefty fine is appropriate in this situation. The babysitter could have been intoxicated by the time she locked the teenagers in the garage. Anyone with any experience with alcohol knows it can affect your judgement. In situations such as this, all of the facts must be considered and both sides of the story must be fully investigated before any judgments are handed down. In today’s society, everyone is considered innocent until proven guilty. As such, someone must stand up for the babysitter, listen to her side of the story, and protect her rights. Everyone has heard the saying that there are two sides to every story and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Regardless of where the truth lies in this scenario, all parties involved deserve to receive proper representation and have their rights protected.
The attorney’s at Bleile & Dawson are extremely knowledgeable in criminal law, especially when it comes to defending our clients against wrongful accusations, whether in the State of Ohio or the Commonwealth of Kentucky. If you feel that you have wrongly been accused of a crime and seek to find the best possible representation to fight for you, hire a law firm that puts the client first and fights hard to protect the client. Contact us today for a completely confidential consultation at 513-564-0088.