Since suicide is illegal, who is charged when it involves a minor?

Question

Can parents lose custody of a minor who repeats suicide attempts?

Answer 1

I have never heard of any "charges" related to suicide attempts made by a minor, unless those related to strong evidence that the parents either provided an abusive/unhealthy home for the child or that they were aware of the child's depression and negligently failed to seek appropriate professional help. When a child is depressed, parents should seek professional help immediately and incorporate others in the responsibility of protecting the child. When a child attempts suicide, I STRONGLY recommend that the child be placed in the "system" and in a mental facility for several months to be evaluated and treated.

Suicide, a crime in many states up until the late 20th century, has never been charged as a crime in the U.S., although, according to the article linked below, there remain "common law" issues related to suicide in some states.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_views_of_suicide

Answer 2

Possibly. Suicide attempts can result from so many different motivations. I am no lawyer but if parents are doing their best for the child, how could they be held responsible?

When a person wants to end it, they will find a way. By hook or by crook, they will finally succeed. Otherwise it is no more than a desperate call for help. I have lost a few people to suicide and have thought of this a lot.

If this is chemically driven and there has been no attempt to find medical care, then the parents will not only live with their own consciences but should be charged with some form of neglect. If this is your child, act immediately and seek help for him/her. Whether they want to or not, get them to the doctor and into treatment of some sort. As much as I hate to mention pills, often medications can help greatly.

I lost a man who repeated his attempts off and on for 56 years. He battled and battled and his family kept him together because otherwise he was a wonderful successful man and pillar of society. Finally, he succeeded. He just kept trying and finally he rid the world of the "blemish" he called himself in his private moments.

Every case like this must be dealt with according to individual variations and circumstance. There can be no definite law unless it is neglect or abuse.

I wish you well.

Answer 3

I have a daughter who started attempting suicide at about 14 years old so we put her in a psych unit. She was released a couple of weeks later and they said she was would be fine as long as I made her take the medications they had prescribed for her. She ended up trying to kill herself many times over the next few years and even beat me up once. Every time she tried we had to have her committed to a psych unit and within a matter of days every time, they would call and tell me to come and get her. My husband and I would visit her every single day and we were very active in her care.

3 days after she beat me up they called and said I had to come and get her and that she was once again fine. I refused to come and get her because there was an 18 month old grandson who was living with us at the time. They said that if we didn't pick her up, they were going to arrest me for child abandonment and put me in jail. I had to go to court and have a judge sign an emergency order before they would keep her. She tried killing herself while she was on the unit too.

So while I know that this isn't true for every city and every state, before you can take custody of the child from the parents, they should provide a place that has better care for a suicidal child.

Answer 4

Since when is suicide illegal? Not in any state that I am aware of.

Answer 5

Probably not, but if your kid tries suicide, then you need to really help. Make them feel worthwhile etc.