(a) No parent having legal custody of a minor shall knowingly permit or by inefficient control allow such minor to be in or upon any public place under circumstances not constituting an exception to, or otherwise beyond the scope of this chapter. "Knowingly" includes knowledge which a parent should reasonably be expected to have concerning the whereabouts of a minor in that parent's legal custody. It is intended to continue to keep neglectful or careless parents up to a reasonable community standard of parental responsibility through an objective test. It shall, a fortiori, be no defense that a parent was completely indifferent to the activities or conduct or whereabouts of such minor.
(b) It shall be an affirmative defense to this section that such parent has within thirty days preceding the alleged violation filed or caused to be filed a complaint against such minor under Ohio R.C. 2151.27.
(c) A parent who violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor for the first offense and a misdemeanor of the fourth degree for each subsequent offense.
(Ord. 900417-42. Passed 5-1-90.)