The Cost of Gambling Addiction

Bensalem

N.J. man charged with leaving baby in car so he could play blackjack at Parx

Shannon Fenton

Shannon Fenton in his Bucks County prison mug shot
Posted: Friday, July 13, 2012

By Jo Ciavaglia Staff writer

The day before his birthday, a South Jersey man took a trip to Parx Casino with his 14-month-old daughter.

But after casino employees turned them away at the door, Shannon Fenton of Brant Beach allegedly returned to his car in the casino parking lot where he strapped his daughter into her car seat — then headed back inside to the blackjack tables, police said.
That decision left Fenton celebrating his 27th birthday Thursday in Bucks County prison, facing a charge of endangering the welfare of a child, which carries a penalty of up to five years in jail, and recklessly endangering another person.

Pennsylvania State Police were the first to respond Wednesday afternoon to a 4:15 p.m. report of a baby left inside a car at the casino in the 2000 block of Street Road. When they arrived, they found the baby alone in a car seat inside a blue Toyota Corolla with New Jersey plates.

The car appeared to be running with the windows up, according to a probable cause affidavit. The keys were in the ignition and the front driver’s side door was unlocked. The affidavit did not say if the car had a working air conditioner or if it was turned on.

When Bensalem police arrived, the crying baby had been removed from the vehicle by a trooper, court records show. He described her skin as “warm to the touch” and “clammy,” according to the affidavit.

Police estimated that the baby was alone in the car for about 15 to 20 minutes.

The temperature in the Philadelphia region Wednesday was 91 degrees at 2:30 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. By 4 p.m., it had dropped to 89 degrees.

Temperatures in a closed automobile rise approximately 19 degrees in just 10 minutes, and 43 degrees in an hour, according to a San Francisco University study. The temperature rises fastest during the first 30 minutes.

About 15 minutes after police arrived at the casino parking lot, Fenton returned to his car. He told police he went into the casino only to use the bathroom, but later changed his story to say he was gambling, according to the affidavit.

Bensalem police said Fenton told them he went to Parx to gamble but, after he was denied access with his daughter, he returned the child to the car and went back to the casino to play “numerous” hands of blackjack.

Fenton was arraigned Wednesday night before Morrisville District Judge Michael Burns on the misdemeanor charges and sent to Bucks County prison in lieu of 10 percent of $50,000 bail.

Since it opened, Parx has experienced periodic problems with gamblers leaving children alone inside parked cars. At least three such incidents occurred last year, down from nine in 2010.

The problem prompted Bucks County state lawmaker Sen. Tommy Tomlinson, whose district includes Bensalem, in 2010 to introduce a bill making it a third-degree felony to leave a child under age 13 in a car without adult supervision. The bill is still in judiciary committee.

In December, the House approved two bills designed to reduce the incidences of unattended children in casino parking lots.

One bill would double the potential fines imposed on casinos if they fail to report such incidents to police and social-service agencies. The other would require casinos to post signs warning patrons not to leave unattended children on casino property. The Senate has the bills now.

http://www.phillyburbs.com/my_town/bensalem/n-j-man-charged-with-leaving-baby-in-car-so/article_f0cf281d-a7e8-53fe-9a1a-db5d46fddeec.html