A Michigan father is facing child abuse charges after police say he left his 5-month-old and 2-year-old sons in a hot car while he gambled at a Detroit casino.
According to WJBK and the Detroit News, police said Montez Sistrunk, 25, of Ypsilanti left the boys in a locked car with the windows up Monday morning while he was inside the MotorCity Casino. He attempted to keep the boys hidden by covering them with a blanket, police said.
A security guard rescued the boys from the car after a casino employee saw them inside, Wayne County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Maria Miller told the Detroit News.
At first, authorities reportedly ticketed Sistrunk for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, then released him.
"He was prematurely released before we actually concluded our investigation to make sure there was any evidence there to arrest," Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody told the Detroit News. "We had to go out to make contact with him, to re-establish contact with him, go out to Ypsilanti and arrest him."
Sistrunk later was charged with two counts of second-degree child abuse. His bail was set at $75,000.
The children reportedly are now staying with their mother while Child Protective Services investigates the case.
