An Ohio woman is facing child endangerment charges after she allegedly left her children unattended in a freezing casino parking lot. The incident occurred on January 5 when security staff at the Hollywood Casino Toledo spotted two children alone in a vehicle in the parking lot. An off-duty Toledo Police Department officer, who was present at the location, was promptly notified by the security team.
The arrest affidavit did not provide specific details on how the security team and the off-duty officer located the 22-year-old mother, Shaneja Gamble. The document also did not disclose what Gamble was doing at the time she allegedly left her children unattended. However, Gamble was eventually located and taken into custody. The ages of the children involved were not disclosed. Gamble was processed and held at the Lucas County Corrections Center on the same day.
According to the affidavit, the air temperature in Toledo on January 5 was a chilly 26 degrees. The vehicle in which the children were found was not running and was unlocked when the officer arrived at the scene. No information was provided regarding the current condition of the children or who is presently caring for them.
Gamble appeared in court for her arraignment on January 6. Court records indicate that she was released on her own recognizance. She entered a plea of not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of endangering children and creating a substantial risk to their health or safety. The date of her next court appearance was not listed in the court records.
This incident is not an isolated case. There have been previous reports of similar incidents involving parents leaving their children unattended in casino parking lots. In one such case, a Brooklyn-based couple allegedly left their 6-year-old in their car in the parking lot of a Pennsylvania casino in late December, during sub-zero temperatures. In the same week, another young mother was accused of leaving her infant at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.