The 86-degree heat in the car was measured 15 minutes after police had opened the doors to let it vent.
A Nevada gambler is being held in Elko County on allegations she left her 1-year old child in a running car for an hour while she gambleds on the slot machine. The 28-year old woman left her car unlocked as she played, so any passerby could have gotten in the car and taken her child.
The woman, Jamie L. Benson of Spring Creek, was arrested for suspicion of child abuse or neglect. Sheriff’s deputies told the Elko Daily Free Press that they found a 14-month old child sitting in a car seat in the back seat of her running car.
86 Degrees in a Running Car
When police arrived to the parking lot of Dotty’s Casino in Spring Creek, they found that the car’s heater was on high and the temperature inside the vehicle was an uncomfortable 86 degrees.
A spokesman for the Elko County Sheriff’s Office said, “The heater of the vehicle was turned all the way up and the interior of the vehicle was extremely hot.”
Gambled for One Hour
The spokeman said that Jamie Benson told deputies she “had entered the casino to purchase cigarettes and had been inside the casino for approximately 25 minutes. Further investigation revealed that she had been inside the casino approximately one hour.”
After arresting Ms. Benson, the Elko County deputies took the child to Northeastern Nevada Regional Hospital for an examination. After the child checked out, authorities transferred the child into the custody of the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services.
No word was given on whether Jamie Benson has a lawyer or the court will appoint her an attorney. Her bail has been set at $100,000.
Do Not Leave Your Child in the Car
The Elko County Sheriff’s Department used the alleged crime as a cautionary tale for parents. The department’s spokesman said, “In addition to accidents, abductions or other events that endanger a child in a vehicle, vehicles may be extremely hot or cold depending on weather conditions.”
“In this particular event, a temperature reading of 86 degrees was measured in the interior of the vehicle after the door had been opened for approximately fifteen minutes. Temperatures inside a vehicle in the summer months can exceed 100 degrees very quickly. Please, never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.”
High Potential for Child Abduction
Leaving a child in a hot car is appalling. What might be even more appalling is leaving a child in a running car with unlocked doors. Anyone who walked through the Dolly’s Casino parking lot might have seen a 14-month old child unattended in the car and simply taken the child. With the doors unlocked and the car running, no bystander likely would have thought a thing if someone sat down in the driver’s seat and drove the car away.
Problem Gambling a Possibility
The incident might have an additional angle. While Jamie Benson simply might be an inattentive mother, there is the chance she might be a problem gambler. If so, the incident sheds light on the thought process of a problem gambler.
Jamie Benson claimed she went into the casino to buy cigarettes. She claimed she had been playing for about 25 minutes, though law enforcement said she had been gambling for closer to an hour. That shows that a stop for cigarettes might turn into an unplanned gambling session. It also indicates that a gambler might not pay attention to the amount of time they sit in slots row, or any other sort of gambling table. Problem gambling might have nothing to do with the case, though that likely will be the argument Jamie Benson’s lawyer makes on her behalf.
