A Florida mother and stepfather are facing multiple criminal charges after allegedly abandoning three young children inside a sweltering Jeep for nearly an hour while they played slot machines at a casino.
Lillian Mun, 32, and Terrence Wright, 42, were arrested early Sunday, November 1, after security guards at the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood discovered the children alone inside a parked vehicle with its engine turned off and windows rolled up.
The children, including a 1-year-old, initially appeared unresponsive, prompting security personnel to rush to their aid.
When officers opened the Jeep’s doors, they immediately felt heat coming from inside. All three children were conscious but sweating, with one showing visible beads of perspiration on their face.
According to an arrest affidavit, the youngsters had been left without food, water or a cellphone to contact their parents or call 911 in an emergency. The outdoor temperature was approximately 76 degrees, with humidity reaching 89%, conditions that can cause temperatures inside a closed vehicle to climb dangerously.
Fortunately, paramedics examined the children and determined that none had suffered injuries requiring medical treatment.
But what the adults allegedly told investigators about their whereabouts quickly began to unravel.
Wright initially claimed he had entered the casino to use the bathroom. Mun then told officers she had remained in the Jeep with the children until the engine shut off because Wright had the keys. She claimed she went inside to find him and had been away for only about 20 minutes.
However, surveillance footage allegedly revealed a very different story.
Investigators say the couple arrived at the casino around 11:50 p.m. Saturday, with Wright heading inside shortly afterward. At approximately 12:38 a.m., cameras captured Mun entering the building.
Just three minutes later, she was reportedly seen sitting beside Wright at a slot machine, watching him gamble. By 12:44 a.m., police say the pair appeared to be playing the machines together.
According to investigators, neither adult was seen returning to check on the children during the roughly hour-long period they were allegedly left alone.
The couple, who have reportedly been together for three years, lived together with the children. Wright was described as a father figure and caregiver to Mun’s youngsters.
Both adults were charged with three counts of child neglect without great bodily harm and additional counts of leaving young children unattended in a motor vehicle.
During their initial court appearances Monday, a judge set Wright’s bond at $22,500. Mun was ordered held without bond because she was already on probation in connection with a previous grand theft case.
The three children were placed in the care of a family friend, while Florida’s Department of Children and Families was notified and began its own investigation.
The case highlights the dangers of leaving children inside unattended vehicles, even when outdoor temperatures do not seem especially hot. Without air conditioning or ventilation, a parked car can heat up rapidly, putting young children at risk.
For these three youngsters, the frightening ordeal ended without serious injuries, but their mother and stepfather now face criminal proceedings over what investigators allege was a decision to leave them alone while gambling.
