A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly left a baby in a car for two hours while he gambled inside of a casino.
Gregory Foster has been charged with child neglect following the incident, which took place on Wednesday, November 11, according to Broward County court records viewed by Us.
Foster, 28, was taken into custody at the Broward County Sheriff’s Office’s main jail on $2,500 bond.
Authorities learned of the incident when a Seminole Police Department officer was called to the Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, Florida, on Wednesday around 11 a.m., according to an arrest report viewed by Law & Crime. Upon their arrival, the security personnel at the casino directed the officer to a black BMW in the parking lot.
The officer noted that the vehicle did not have a driver inside, but they did find that a baby had been “left in the car.” The child was found in a car seat in the middle of the back seat, and the officer noted that the child was not safely buckled in.
The security personnel said that the BMW had been there for “over an hour” by the time the police officer arrived.
Once the officer determined that the child was not moving, they forced their way inside and found that the child “appeared to be sleeping.”
Security at the casino was able to determine that Foster owned the vehicle, and they got in touch with him to discuss the incident. Authorities said that Foster was later found inside the casino “playing at a table.”
While speaking to authorities, Foster reportedly explained that he “only left the infant in the car for 45 minutes.” However, his statement was debunked when security staff said he had been gambling inside of the casino for about two hours.
Foster was then arrested at the scene and taken into custody.
The court document did not identify how Foster and the child are related, and the child’s age has also not yet been revealed. It is not currently clear who has custody of the child after Foster was arrested or if the baby suffered any health problems as a result of being left in the car.
It’s not known whether Foster has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest. The Seminole Police Department did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding updates in the case.
