State ex rel. A.B.

ROMA, J.S.C.

The question before this court is one of first impression in New Jersey. In fact, no state has ever addressed the present issue: whether a juvenile may be charged with Endangering the Welfare of a Child by engaging in the photography of a minor engaged in a prohibited sexual act as proscribed by N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b. While many courts had devoted much analysis to numerous issues surrounding the Child Endangerment statute, this is the first time that the court has been asked to analyze the meaning of the term “person” within the provision.

I

On May 13,1999, the juvenile, A.B., age 16,…