A 33-Year Old Woman Committed the Same Offense at Delaware Park in 2009
A man playing in a Delaware casino left his 14-month old daughter in the car. The man, named Justin K. Middleton, is said to have left his little girl in a running card for about half-an-hour while he gambled at Harrington’s Casino in Harrington, Delaware.
Other gamblers reported seeing the child in the car and reported it to the local police. Though the man left the car running in order to keep an air conditioner going during a hot summer day, that meant that the little girl was left unattended for 30 minutes in a running car without the doors locked. Anyone who happened by could have abducted the child with minimal effort.
Justin Middleton Arrested for Endangering a Child
When police arrived, they located Justin Middleton, a 26-year old from Preston. After his arrest, Middleton was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, unattended motor vehicle, and parking in a handicapped space without a permit. The arresting officer was Master Corporel Gary E. Fournier.
Authorities warned people that this is a growing trend. Each year, gamblers leave their children in a car while they go into the casino to gamble. Keith S. Whyte of the National Council on Problem Gambling says this conduct sometimes has deadly results.
Whyte told Delaware Online, “There’s deaths every summer.”
Why Gamblers Leave Children in Cars
According to Mr. Whyte, the players often intend on going into the casino for a quick 5-minute visit, either to make a quick bet or cash a slots ticket, but get drawn into the gaming because of the compulsive nature of their addiction.
“Five hours later, they’re still there.”
One aspect of gaming addiction which isn’t discussed enough is an addict’s preoccupation or even obsession with gaming. When the compulsive gambler enters this state, they lose all sense of time. All too often, this lack of sense about their surroundings leads to “tragic consequences“.
Whyte says it was “a matter of luck” that the child in this case was found so quickly. It appears that Mr. Middleton’s intentions may have been like those described by Keith Whyte–a five minute visit. Middelton parked in the handicapped spot near the entrance of the casino, and he left his car running. This may have been the key to the quick discovery of the baby in the car.
How the Baby Was Discovered
A patron of the casino saw a 2012 Ford Fusion running. Through the car window, the man could see a baby in a car seat, though the car seat was “in an upside down position on the floor behind the front passenger seat.” A green sweatshirt was on top of the car seat and, had the blanket shifted, the patron was concerned that the child would suffocate.
When officers arrived, they found that the door to the car was unlocked. The baby did not appear to be in distress or need medical attention. The casino paged the vehicle’s owner. Ninety minutes later, Middleton arrived back at his car and he was arrested. Investigators in the case searched video footage of Middleton while in the casino to determine how long he was inside.
The Father First Denied the Charges
Upon his arrest, Middleton denied ever leaving his daughter in the car. He told troopers on the scene that the baby’s mother had abandoned the girl. Later, he acknowledged this was a lie, and he admitted to leaving the baby in the car while he was gambling.
Middleton has been committed to Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna. He failed to psot $2,505 secured bond. He has been ordered to have no contact with his daughter.
Past Child Endangerment Cases at Casinos
This is not the first time a Delaware gambler has left their child in an automobile while they went on a gaming spree. In 2009, a woman from Wilmington was arrested for endangering a child when she left her 12-year old son in a car alone for two hours while gambling at Delaware Park, a racino in Stanton. When the police confronted her, she told them she was trying to win money in order to take her son to the movies. Police
