Police: Nevada man left toddler in hot car while he gambled in casino
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LAS VEGAS — A Nevada man is accused of leaving his 6-month-old son in a hot car outside a casino while he went inside to gamble, authorities said.
Mitchell Anthony Hooks, 39, of North Las Vegas, was arrested July 16 and charged with child abuse and leaving a child in a vehicle, KLAS reported.
According to the North Las Vegas Police Department, Hooks left the child unattended in a vehicle outside the Big Horn Casino in triple-digit temperatures, according to KVVU.
The boy was found when another customer heard him crying in the car and alerted casino security, KLAS reported.
The child was in a car seat inside the car, and the window on the front driver’s side was rolled down about 4 inches, the television station reported. The other windows of the vehicle were rolled up.
According to surveillance camera video, Hooks entered the casino at 9:46 p.m. PDT, KLAS reported. Police arrived at the scene at 10:19.
The temperature outside at the time was 100 degrees, police said.
Video footage showed a police sergeant giving water to the baby in an attempt to cool him off, according to CNN.
Hooks told officers that he “made a mistake” by gambling instead of going home, KLAS reported. According to an arrest report, Hooks drove his sister to a friend’s house and then went to the casino.
“I made a mistake. I went in there and I gambled,” Hooks allegedly told police.
The child was taken to an area hospital for evaluation, KVVU reported.
