The Bay County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office is looking at five separate cases where parents were fined $500 for letting their children in the water to consider whether additional charges are in order.

According to WJHG in Panama City, in each case the parents allowed their children to enter the water despite double flags flying. Under Florida — and Alabama — law, double red flags mean the water is closed to the public. Citations can be issued to violator.

Now, however, Bay County is examining each case to determine whether upgraded charges of child neglect are warranted.

“To me, it’s no different than having a fire inside of a house and allowing a kid to go over there who doesn’t know any danger to that fire,” said BCSO Capt. Jason Daffin, according to the report.

Under Florida law, child neglect charges can be levied for “a caregiver’s failure or omission to provide a child with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the child’s physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food, nutrition, clothing, shelter, supervision, medicine and medical services that a prudent person would consider essential for the well-being of the child.”

Florida law allows for a child neglect charge to be brought for “repeated conduct or on a single incident or omission that results in, or could reasonably expected to result in, serious physical or mental injury, or substantial risk of death, to a child.”

Child neglect which does not result in severe injury to a child is a third degree felony in Florida, punishable by a maximum sentence of five years and a fine of up to $5,000.

None of the seven recent drownings on Bay County beaches involved children, with the victims mostly middle-aged men. With the Bay County Sheriff’s Office closed Monday, it’s unclear whether any of the five cases in which children were allowed in the water resulted in the death of someone trying to assist them.