A Broward man and his girlfriend are facing child neglect charges after police say they left his three stepchildren alone in a Jeep while gambling at the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood.
Terrence Wright and Lillian Munn were charged with child neglect without great bodily harm and leaving children unattended in a motor vehicle. At a hearing Monday, Munn was held without bond because she was on probation. Wright’s bond was set at $22,500.
According to arrest affidavits, the children, the youngest about 1 year old, were in the Jeep at Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood on State Road 7, just south of Griffin Road. The windows were up on a day when it was 76 degrees outside. Officers said they felt heat coming from inside the vehicle. Security was told the Jeep was not running, and officers saw sweat on the children’s faces.
The affidavits say the children had no access to food, water or a phone. They were medically evaluated and were not harmed. Munn told police the Jeep had shut off and that she went inside to find Wright for the keys, but surveillance video showed the pair gambling, police said.
Casino customers who spoke with CBS News Miami said they were troubled by the allegations, with one saying children should never be brought to a casino without a designated adult to stay with them.
