Vacation? Nope. On the lam … for diaper-changing

Iwas out of Arizona for several days when I was advised by a friend (or is he now an accessory after the fact?) to reconsider returning since I am no longer on vacation, but on the lam for a felony rap. “Have you seen your grandson?” the friend wrote in an email. “Yes,” I answered. “Have you changed his diaper?” “Yes,” I said.

according to the Arizona Supreme Court,” he said. “If you dare to return, prepare to spend your twilight years in the Big House, where most people believe you belong anyway.” Most people? Unless we’re talking about my immediate family, I’d call that an exaggeration.

Nevertheless, it was unnerving to learn that the state Supreme Court ruled the Legislature intentionally did not include intent in its definition of molestation, meaning prosecutors are not required to prove intent in such cases, which means a parent (or grandparent) changing a diaper could be guilty of molestation under a strict interpretation of the law.

Defense attorneys are troubled by this.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Mont- gomery finds such concerns ridiculous and even insulting.

“It is important for our community to understand no parent has ever been charged with a crime for simply changing a diaper, bathing a child or tending to the medical needs, and this decision does not change that,” he said. “It is incredi“Guilty,