There have been quite a few cases of gross neglect of parental duties by gamblers who thought bunking off at a local casino, while their children stayed behind and waited in a vehicle, was a good idea. One such case involves a Delaware man, 37-year-old William Brisco, who has been charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
The man decided to stop by the Delaware Park Casino, as per police report, leaving his four children in an SUV parked out front. Then he proceeded to the interior of the casino, leaving the kids, aged four, seven, nine, and 12 in the parking lot. Upon discovery, the man tried to avoid arrest and was subsequently charged with other offenses, including possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and resisting arrest, among others.
State Troopers Spot a Running Engine
To compound matters, the Chevy Trailblazer the children were left in, still had the engine running, creating an even greater danger to those inside and outside. However, the vehicle was spotted by state troopers who then stood by the car, waiting for its owner to return.
When coming back, troopers saw that Brisco had a large bag of an unidentified substance. Later, when Delaware State Police senior corporal Jason Hatchell was delivering his account of the events, he alleged that the substance was cocaine.
Upon seeing the state troopers, Brisco bolted, but he was soon discovered hiding behind vegetation near the parking lot and attempting to get back to his SUV. According to police, Brisco has been able to secure $390 from drug proceeds. Brisco was later released on a $7,050 bond after being arraigned in the Justice of the Peace Court.
Abandoning Kids to Gamble Is Not Rare
Irresponsible parents have not been a rare sight in the United States, particularly when it concerns gamblers running in for “quick sessions” into casinos. Many such cases have been reported where parents left behind children unattended so that they can gamble.
So much that the Valley Forge Casino even decided to install infrared cameras to boost its overall parking lot security, but also look for children left behind their parents in vehicles parked at the casino. Numerous such cases have been reported all over the country, including the case of a six-month-old boy left at Brighton Casino in Las Vegas or the case of a 43-year-old man in Florida who left two kids alone in a vehicle as he went in to play at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino.