Pennsylvani: Kids left in cars sparks action

Kids left in cars sparks action
Lawmakers hope to prevent parents from leaving children in car outside casinos.

Some state legislators are hoping that the threat of an additional two years in prison and having a felony on their record will be enough to deter people from leaving children unattended in a vehicle.

Sen. Tommy Tomlinson and Rep. Gene DiGirolamo, both Republicans representing portions of Bucks County, announced their intent to introduce mirroring bills in their respective chambers in the near future. The announcement came in Bensalem, home to the Parx Casino, which falls in both men’s districts.

It’s been at that establishment that police have arrested seven people for leaving children in vehicles while they went in to gamble. Just hours after the announcement, the seventh person, a grandfather, was charged with leaving a 12-year-old in the vehicle while he went inside to gamble.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, between June 15 and Aug. 25, six parents left a combined 12 children and a puppy unattended in cars in Parx’s parking lots. The children ranged from 15 months to 15 years old, and were left unsupervised from a half-hour to six hours.

That type of incident, though rampant at Parx, is not exclusive to that casino.

On Jan. 24, Plains Township police charged Floyd H. Robinson Jr., 43, and Michelle L. Shulskie, 38, of Larksville, with child endangerment for allegedly leaving a 13-year-old boy and 22-month-old boy alone in a vehicle while the couple were in the Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs casino. Police found the toddler and the 13-year-old in a vehicle with its doors locked, engine running and the heat on at about 12:15 a.m. while responding to a 911 hang up call, according to charges filed. The cases are still pending.

And at The Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh, according to a story in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, one incident has occurred.

Wendy Wilson, a spokeswoman for Mount Airy Casino Resort near Mount Pocono, said no such incidents have occurred there and the casino fully supports increased penalties for such crimes. She said security at Mount Airy is vigilant and monitors vehicles in parking lots closely.

“The public needs to understand that there are serious safety risks to children who are left in unattended vehicles,” Tomlinson said. “This bill will send a message that irresponsible behavior will not be tolerated and that offenders will face strong penalties.”

Steve Dahle, vice president for marketing at Mohegan Sun, said “even though casinos are what brought this to the forefront, it happens at a lot of businesses. But we are glad it’s being brought to the forefront and support (the proposal).”

While the incidents at casinos have been the spur for the legislation, the bill would target incidents in any parking lot or street in the state.

The proposed bills in the Senate and House would make it a third-degree felony to leave a child under age 13 in a motor vehicle without adult supervision. A third degree felony can result in a prison term of 3 � to 7 years and a fine of up to $15,000. Under current law, leaving a child unattended is a misdemeanor of the first degree, which means up to five years in jail.

“It is unconscionable to me that parents will intentionally leave their children alone in their cars in parking lots at a local casino,” said DiGirolamo. “While we cannot legislate proper parenting, we can put tough laws on the books to provide serious punishments for those who are willing to put their children in harm’s way.”

Sen. Lisa Baker, R-Lehman Township, said she will not cosponsor the measure but is glad more attention is being paid to the problem. She said she has concerns about putting additional strains on the state’s ballooning prison population. A decision on whether she would vote for the bill or not will depend on the language of the final version, her spokeswoman Jennifer Wilson said.

“These are the types of unfortunate situations that arise when the impulse to gamble overrides common sense. As more forms of gambling are made more easily accessible, we can expect that the problems will become more extensive,” Baker said. “I agree that we need to increase the sanctions for what seems to be criminal irresponsibility. At the same time, Pennsylvania is considering steps for alleviating a costly problem with prison overcrowding, so longer jail terms may not be the best remedy.”

Fran Cleaver, who serves as Tomlinson’s office counsel, said “placing someone in jail is not the optimal target of this (bill).” She said that by making the crime a felony, it accomplishes two key things. It would give courts additional time to monitor parents on parole and it also makes people think twice because in many workplaces, you can’t have a felony on your record.

Cleaver said the target date for introduction of the Senate bill is Sept. 14.