A 54-year-old man is facing numerous criminal charges after his 14-year-old son allegedly committed a mass shooting at a Georgia high school, according to NBC News. The son is facing adult criminal charges for accusations of killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others. Prosecutors charged the father with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. Authorities believe the man allowed his son access to firearms, including an AR-15-style rifle, despite knowing about the teen’s previous threats of violence.
Georgia law prohibits giving certain firearms to minors and holds adults accountable if such conduct leads to harm. Prosecutors argue that the father disregarded the risks, given his son’s history. The laws the father has been accused of violating in this Georgia criminal case share many similarities with Pennsylvania’s laws. This means Pennsylvania parents could face similar charges if they knowingly allow their children to access guns or ignore warning signs of potential violence in their kids.
Second Degree Murder
Georgia Code § 16-5-1 defines murder in the second degree as causing a death while committing second-degree cruelty to children, regardless of the intent to kill. This applies if a parent’s actions or neglect leads to a child’s death.
In Pennsylvania, second-degree murder happens when someone kills another person while committing a felony, such as robbery or arson. Like in Georgia, intent to kill is not necessary. Therefore, the adult would have to commit the felony at the same time as the murder to be charged with this offense in Pennsylvania. Because the school shooting represented a separate incident from the father’s alleged illegal actions, this criminal charge might not apply here based on the circumstances.
Involuntary Manslaughter
Under Georgia Code § 16-5-3, involuntary manslaughter occurs when someone causes a death unintentionally during the commission of an unlawful act that is not a felony. The law also covers situations where a person performs a lawful act in an unlawful way that leads to death.
Pennsylvania law defines involuntary manslaughter as causing death through reckless or grossly negligent actions, whether the person is doing something unlawful or lawful. The offense is generally a first-degree misdemeanor, but it becomes a second-degree felony if the victim is under 12 and in the care of the person who caused the death.
Voluntary Manslaughter
While the Georgia father was not charged with voluntary manslaughter, Pennsylvania law defines this crime as killing an individual without lawful justification under a sudden and intense passion resulting from serious provocation by the victim or another person the defendant was trying to kill but negligently or accidentally killed the victim instead.
Georgia law defines voluntary manslaughter similarly, but it specifically notes that if there was a sufficient interval between the provocation and killing for the defendant to cool off and change course but the defendant didn’t, the crime must be charged as murder.
Cruelty to Children
Georgia Code § 16-5-70 defines different degrees of cruelty to children based on the level of harm or neglect. First-degree cruelty involves willfully depriving a child of necessary sustenance or causing them excessive physical or mental pain. Second-degree cruelty happens when someone negligently causes such pain. Third-degree cruelty involves allowing a child to witness acts of violence or committing violence while knowing the child is present.
In Pennsylvania, the similar offense of endangering the welfare of a child occurs when a parent, guardian, or caretaker knowingly violates their duty to care for or protect a child. If the violation creates a substantial risk of death or serious injury, the offense can be a felony.
Contact Our Philadelphia Criminal Defense Lawyer If You Are Facing Similar Charges
If you are a parent facing charges related to your child’s actions in Pennsylvania, contact The Zeiger Firm today for a free consultation. Whether you’re dealing with accusations of involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of a child, or other serious offenses, Brian Zeiger can fight to protect your rights. Don’t wait—reach out now to speak with an aggressive and experienced criminal defense attorney about your case.
