What does "negligent homicide" refer to?

Negligent homicide refers to the unintentional killing of another person that results from gross negligence. In this context, gross negligence implies a significant lack of care or an extreme departure from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in a similar situation. This could occur in various scenarios where an individual fails to recognize a substantial risk resulting in a fatal outcome, demonstrating a disregard for human life.

The element of negligence is key to this definition—while the action leading to death was not intentional, it was carelessly or recklessly undertaken. Therefore, a person may be held criminally liable for negligent homicide if their actions significantly contributed to someone else's death through such gross negligence. This is distinct from intentional killings, accidental deaths without negligence, or actions taken in self-defense, which do not align with the definition of negligent homicide.