Liability of parents at teenage parties | Legal aid centre

Questioner

I have a question about the liability of parents who allow children under the age of 18 to drink alcohol. Case 1: Parents facilitate the drinking for a party of underage children. One of the children (not their own child) drinks too much and ends up in hospital with serious complaints or dies. To what extent are the parents who facilitated the drinking then criminally liable? Could that fall under manslaughter in the sense that the parents were negligent? I can imagine that it makes a difference whether the parents are present at the party or whether they are away. Case 2: Same situation, only this time the parents did not facilitate the drinking, but the drinking was not locked away and the children could easily access it while the parents were away. To what extent are the parents then criminally liable? I have searched for case law, but it is hard to find. So case law on this topic is very welcome!

Lawyer

I recommend that you ask your teacher this question.

Questioner

This is not a study question, but a real case.