In terms of what your local CPS might think is neglect, you’re 100% right. And I personally wouldn’t do because it feels a bit off.
But if I think through it rationally, the risk of a bad outcome with my next door neighbor watching the baby monitor vs the baby upstairs while my wife and I watch something 2 floors down in the home theater room (with the baby monitor next to us) is virtually the same. I see no problem with the 2nd scenario, so I should probably be ok with the first.
Not a huge difference, but still a significant difference. Response time should still be quicker in home vs from another house - after all, the neighbor might be multiple flights of stairs away on top of needing to go through the yard, unlock the door, etc. The monitor doesn't provide early detection of other dangers like if you're in the building, such as smoke detectors going off in other rooms of the house - you should hear it, but a baby monitor is not likely to pick it up.
But if I think through it rationally, the risk of a bad outcome with my next door neighbor watching the baby monitor vs the baby upstairs while my wife and I watch something 2 floors down in the home theater room (with the baby monitor next to us) is virtually the same. I see no problem with the 2nd scenario, so I should probably be ok with the first.