Chapter 17 - Reid’s charge
Reid did not escape scrutiny because he was not standing beside the closet.
His message explicitly authorized use of the latch if Perry tried to leave the quiet room.
Prosecutors considered:
Child endangerment.
Contributing to unlawful restraint.
But criminal intent was less clear.
He had instructed a short timeout, not prolonged confinement.
He was not present for implementation.
His lawyer negotiated:
A misdemeanor child-endangerment diversion program.
Parenting course.
No use of locked-room discipline.
Compliance with family-court safety plan.
No criminal conviction after successful completion.
I did not celebrate.
I also did not insist he be jailed.
May you like
The point was not to destroy Perry’s father.
The point was making sure he understood what he had authorized.
