Published on: December 27, 2024, 07:03h.
Last updated on: December 27, 2024, 07:03h.
A man is facing criminal charges after leaving his four-year-old daughter alone in a parked car while gambling at a Houston race track, authorities reported.
Last week, Daniel Ruiz, 59, faced charges of child abandonment after his daughter was found unattended in the car for over four hours at the Sam Houston Race Park.
The car’s engine was off while Ruiz was inside gambling, leaving the girl alone in the vehicle.
Harris County Constable Mark Herman’s office was informed about the unsupervised child, and deputies responded to the track’s parking area.
Deputies discovered the four-year-old, and Ruiz returned to the car while officers were present.
Confession of Gambling
Upon questioning, Ruiz admitted to gambling at the track, as reported by Houston TV station KRIV.
He was charged with child abandonment with intent to return, and was incarcerated at Harris County Jail with a bail of $5,000. Records suggest that Ruiz has been released from jail.
The case was forwarded to local prosecutors, with no information available on his plea. If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison.
Child Placement
Deputies contacted Texas Child Protective Services, who transferred the child to another responsible adult at the race track under their supervision.
There were no reports of the child experiencing any issues while alone in the car, nor any need for medical intervention.
On that day in Houston, outdoor temperatures ranged from 55 to 63 degrees based on online weather sources.
Sam Houston Race Park offers Thoroughbred and American Quarter Horse racing at different times of the year, along with simulcast racing. The ownership belongs to Penn Entertainment.
Situated 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston, the race park was the location where Ruiz was involved in the incident.
In an unrelated incident, two adults were arrested for leaving their child unattended in a cold vehicle at Pennsylvania’s Parx Casino. The six-year-old girl was left in a parked Honda CRV for approximately 45 minutes while the adults were inside the Bensalem, Pa. gaming establishment.