A man out of North Charleston was arrested on April 22 on a single Cruelty to Children charge.

Less than twenty-four hours after his arrest, Adam Teseniar, 31, was released from the Al Cannon Detention Center on personal recognizance bond.

This is highly problematic, considering the implications of such a crime. According to South Carolina Code 63-5-80 of the South Carolina Code of Laws, a person guilty of this crime “[…] deprives of necessary sustenance or shelter, or inflicts unnecessary pain or suffering upon a child […]”.

While only a misdemeanor, it begs the question of why a system influenced by bail reform would condone — without contrary evidence — a judge to set in stone an unjustified free release while also failing to envision setbacks experienced by the potential victim(s) of such a crime.

And even if a low bond amount was set, it would surely be an injustice to all forced to live in abject conditions at no fault of their own. Our justice system continues to fail in its endeavor to provide equitable and reasoned justice to America’s inhabitants.

A consensus for the promotion and uphold of the welfare of children is inevitable — even with all of the world’s cruelty — because humanity can be kind, gentle, and formidable in its moral grounding. But in cases similar to Mr. Teseniar’s, the protection of our most vulnerable failed in every degree imaginable. And we owe our children more than that.