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twitterParents arrested after 10-month-old abandoned at casino
Published Mon, Oct 27, 2008 (12:47 p.m.)
Updated Mon, Oct 27, 2008 (2:48 p.m.)
Maria Larios-Cortes
David Luna-Cardenas
UPDATE: Parents of baby abandoned at casino appear in court
Metro Police arrested the parents of a 10-month-old boy Friday after the baby was left in a stroller in front of the Imperial Palace hotel and casino for more than an hour.
Officers arrived at the hotel at about 5:35 p.m. Friday after two concerned tourists reported to security guards that the baby was alone in his stroller, police said.
Through video surveillance cameras, officers identified the parents who had abandoned the child, police said.
The parents were inside the casino gambling. When questioned, they told police they had left the baby after an argument. Both parents left the baby in his stroller on the sidewalk in front of the casino, police said.
A family friend, Yvette Sical, said this afternoon the parents left the stroller thinking the other had the baby. When the father called the mother, who returned to their hotel room and who is six months pregnant with their second child, she reminded him to change the baby's diaper and he realized the child had been left behind.
The father, 37-year-old David Luna-Cardenas, and mother, 35-year-old Maria Larios-Cortes, have been arrested on one count of felony child endangerment and one count of felony child neglect, police said.
The parents were booked into the Clark County Detention Center. They will have an appearance in court on Nov. 24.
The family was visiting Las Vegas, police said. Clark County Child Protective Services took the baby into custody.
The baby was returned to the parents Sunday morning, Sical said.
"They didn't abandon the baby. It was a mistake," Sical said.
They were in Las Vegas for two weeks and planned to return to Mexico on Thursday. They will be in Las Vegas for their court appearance, she said.
The video tapes from the hotel have been booked as evidence and are not being released by police.
Discussion: 14 comments so far…
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Oh MY God! How can anyone be so negligent with a 10 month baby! My older son works in a casino and he tells me horror stories of parents leaving their kids in the corner while they drink and gamble. Why would anyone bring a baby to Las Vegas of all places. This place is not child friendly. I hope both of these parents end up in prison for leaving this baby alone for over an hour! I am just thankful this baby is alive (no thanks to the parents)
I think the baby abandoned these two losers. Put them in the black book.
Children and casino's do not mix. Period. Children do not belong in casino's. Period. I used to have that argument when I was married. My ex would want to go into a casino to eat because it was "cheaper." I don't care if it's cheaper, all children should be banned from casino's. Period.
I just wish to clarify this story a bit.
These people are relatives of mine. They are prominent attorneys from Mexico. All of this was a misunderstanding between them. Yes it might have been neglect, but it was unintentional.
They have been visiting Las Vegas for the last 2 weeks. On friday they were walking the strip, sightseeing with their baby. Let me add the wife is 6 months pregnant. After a few hours on the strip, the wife decided she wanted to go back to their hotel room and rest. The husband wanted to continue to sightsee. Their mistake was the lack of communication. Each one thought the other was going to take the baby with the other.
After a short while, the husband called the wife to make sure she had made it back to hotel safely. At which time, based on their conversation they became aware that neither had the child. The wife frantically ran out of their hotel and tried to hail a cab on the strip to get back to where they had separated. What she did not realize is that the cabs are not allowed to stop on the strip to pick up passengers. So she ran back blocks to the location. Once arriving there, her husband met with her. They located a police officer and told them that they had lost their baby. At which point they were detained, questioned and arrested.
They posted bail and were released Saturday. On Sunday morning they went to Child Haven, after speaking with social workers from CPS, it was determined that this had been an accident, not intentional. Let me add that the social workers made this determination after reviewing the security videos of the incident.
The video clearly shows both parents walking away from the stroller at the exact same time in opposite directions.
The child has been back with the parents since Sunday morning and is doing great! These relatives will be returning home as planned and returning to Las Vegas for their court hearing next month.
Let me remind you that they are not here illegally nor do they wish to live here. They were just a family on vacation, to which has suffered an unfortunate accident. Also like previously mentioned both husband and wife are attorneys and very well financially stable. Otherwise how would they have been able to post their own bail in a different country?
This whole story has gotten out of hand. They were not gambling, or anything of the sort. I have read the police report and no where on there does it state that. Security video tapes will clear them.
I don't buy the whole they turned around at the same time. Wouldn't they notice that they were both turning with the baby in the middle? I get this might have been accidental/brain fart, but come on...
We hear the same thing every summer when we find a dead kid in a car. Honestly I didn't mean to kill my 3 year old. I was just going into the house for a minute, but I lost track of time and half an hour later...
This was negligence plain and simple. That doesn't mean it was intentional, but it was still negligent. Someone could've taken the kid. If this was summer, the kid could have died right there. I also agree with the above comment about WHO BRINGS BABIES TO VEGAS. This is SOOOOO not a town to bring a baby. There is absolutely nothing for a baby here. It also has almost nothing for an expectant mom. Sure there's stores and spas, but that's it. Lots of walking, little in the way of reststops, smokey everything, and liquor saturates everything. Oh yeah, just what an expecting mommy needs.
You will notice that the woman who posted here Yscial is the same one quoted above in the article. She has also gone to every article that has been written about this and posted. In every posting she mentions that they are prominent attorneys. In every one she mentions that it was a mistake. That's great. I'm happy that they are attorneys, and they make mistakes. They still paid so little attention to their 10 month old that they left him on the strip. I have a 9 month old and I haven't left her anywhere recently, but I guess it would be okay if I did...because it would be a mistake. Just because child protective services gave him back doen't mean everything is great. They can still take him away, if there is a finding of neglect.
I personally don't care if they are lawyers or work at Taco Bell, the fact that two adults left a baby alone on the God-forsaken strip is appalling and I hope these people are prosecuted to the full extent of the Law..in this country! Why didn't either one of them look back toward the other when they walked away? I have two children and I used to watch over them like a hawk when they were babies. I wouldn't even leave them in the cart to grab milk out of the freezer for fear someone would grab them and run out of the store. I used one of the baby carriers and then held their hands. The point is that good parents have natural instincts about their babies and they constantly make sure they are ok. Why would this idiot mother who is 6 months pregnant leave the baby with her husband if she was going back to the room to take a NAP!! It makes much more sense for the mother to take the baby with her and not leave it with the husband who was found gambling in the casino. No where does it state that the parents are the ones that went to the police to help them find the baby. The police had to look through video tape to identify the parents. I really hope they don't let these people off the hook because they are from Mexico. They should receive the maximum time in prison. Hopefully, someone will adopt this baby or we will be reading about the baby being left in a car by a casino while they are both gambling and leaving the new baby outside by a dumpster.
You will notice that the woman who posted here Yscial is the same one quoted above in the article. She has also gone to every article that has been written about this and posted. In every posting she mentions that they are prominent attorneys. In every one she mentions that it was a mistake. That's great. I'm happy that they are attorneys, and they make mistakes. They still paid so little attention to their 10 month old that they left him on the strip. I have a 9 month old and I haven't left her anywhere recently, but I guess it would be okay if I did...because it would be a mistake. Just because child protective services gave him back doen't mean everything is great. They can still take him away, if there is a finding of neglect.
Janine: YOU are so right! I checked the other sites that have this same article and on each site a woman says the exact same thing about them being lawyers etc...I think the mom is posting as a different person on each site to sway people into believing she is innocent. "Methinks the lady does protest too much!" to quote Shakespeare.
I'm still puzzling over how they both left "at the same time." While I'm of the married w/o children lot, I've noticed parents tend to note who's taking the kids where. As in, "Bye hun. I'm taking the baby up to the room for a nap." Or "I'll be walking around with the baby some more."
And good point by an ealier poster, if the pregnant wife was going upstairs to nap, why not take the baby? I mean unless things have changed recently, babies nap a lot don't they?
So they're attorney's in Mexico - so what - does that automatically make them good parents - apparently NOT - who in their right mind walks off and leaves a baby alone in a stroller - not anyone with any good parenting skills, that's for sure. I agree with starrynite as it pertains to yscial's true identity. I also think 'she doth protest too much' as well.
Oh wow. I am not the parent but a relative who knows what happens. But go ahead and carry on.
While u guys are here ranting, the parents and child are doing well.
May u have a blessed day.
To the family member who wishes to clarify things, I can certainly understand your desire to get your thoughts across. But a word of caution, which your lawyer-relatives should remind you of. This continues to be an on-going investigation and you, nor anyone else from their side, should be speaking publicly about the case. You are only providing a prosecutor with ammunition to prosecute them by giving them the opportunity to tear holes in what seems to be an airtight story. Help your relatives by being quiet, as difficult as that may be. Good luck.
One more comment to all of those who are quick to judge. While I agree that the incident, as reported, is terrible, just one caveat: be careful of what you read. Not all the "facts" are always reported. I became involved in a loved-one's situation in which I knew the facts because I WAS THERE. But what was reported was nothing but a bunch of misinformation, stupid mistakes on the part of the reporter, and an attempt for the media to spin the story the way they wanted to. Stop judging these parents and just pray that the baby (and future baby) will be okay.
Thank you taffy cat for the advice. It is hard to stand back and hear what is being said when u know not all of it is true.
But like you said, not everything that is reported is true. The news is stating that they faced a judge yesterday. Very untrue, they have yet to face a judge. Their court date is for next month.
With all this being said, May God Bless you all. We can all sit here and rant and rave. Meanwhile the parents are on their way home with the child.