Is it against the law to put a gag or duct tape over a child's mouth to stifle his screaming?

Question

For example, if a parent intends to discipline their child with a switch and wants to minimize the unpleasant noise, possibly out of consideration for the neighbors or others present.

Some people assume this is illegal (as it should be in my opinion); however, I don't believe that it actually qualifies as child abuse under most current definitions, which require not merely cruelty or unreasonableness but serious physical injury.

Answer 1

While duct tape is really painful to take off and may in fact cause a child to suffocate (resulting in murder, then) if their nose gets plugged from the snot coming out while they're crying and throwing a tantrum, my dad used to put brown paper tape on my mouth if I was being too noisy.
Didn't hurt me, didn't hurt to take it off, only hurt my pride and kept me quiet until I learned how to take it off myself.

Answer 2

Using duct tape is a form of torture. It is used by terrorist groups all the time. Closing off a child's ability to breath is borderline attempted murder. What is WRONG with you? This is so far over the line child abuse that there shouldnt even be a question about it. You think a parent can justify not using a switch because of the noise and using tape instead is a good idea? What is that saying? It acknowledges that the parent doesnt want to get caught using a switch. I used to prosecute child abuse cases. If the parent who did this ended up in my department, it would be a very long time before they had the chance to do this again.

Answer 3

ok, you communicate approximately 2 categories of tape right here. Duct tape has webbing geared up in and might unquestionably tear pores and skin whilst bumped off too harshly. Scotch tape (like the type you employ to wrap provides) is lots weaker and a baby could completely be waiting to open their mouth to entice breath if needed - hell, my 3 3 hundred and sixty 5 days previous performs with scotch tape. If it became into duct tape then that's overboard. i could unquestionably evaluate duct taping a childs mouth close baby abuse that desires to be pronounced to CYS. If it became into scotch tape then it extremely is a reminder to the baby that she desires to maintain her mouth closed - any baby could be waiting to get scotch tape off on their very very own devoid of injury accomplished. If it became into scotch tape then it extremely is not baby abuse in any way and it extremely is none of your enterprise how she disciplines her very own baby. once you're nonetheless uncomfortable with this then ascertain what self-discipline technique she makes use of with different little ones. in case you do unlike her procedures you could communicate what self-discipline to apply on your baby and if she is of a similar opinion great - if she would not then pull your baby out of the playgroup.

Answer 4

not sure where your from but hitting a child with more than just you open hand on their bottom is illegal where i am so to tape their mouths would result in time in the big house and the child becoming a ward of the state

Answer 5

Legal or not, it would be exceedingly dangerous to do this~physically and emotionally/psychologically! What a horrible thing that would be to do that to ANYONE, not just a child!

I do hope this is a joke and that you truly aren't considering such a dreadful act.

Answer 6

It should be.

If a child is screaming it usually has a good reason to be doing it.

BTW: What is a "switch"?

Answer 7

doing this would clearly be child abuse.

Answer 8

yes, I believe it is. It would be child endangerment.

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

Let's hope it is a practice that gains popularity.