Parents at casino arrested Sunday after five children left unattended in car
CATOOSA, Okla. Aug 23 2017-– Two parents were arrested after police said they left five children unattended in a car while they were inside a casino.
Catoosa Assistant Police Chief John Blish said his officers were called to the Hard Rock Casino parking lot Sunday afternoon around 6:30 p.m. When they arrived, they found five children ranging in age from nine months to 9-years old alone in a car.
Police were told they had been alone for at least an hour.
Assistant Chief Blish said the car was running and the doors were locked.
With the help of casino security, officers located the parents and arrested Dimitra Whitfield and Christopher Bailey for child endangerment. Assistant Chief Blish said he believes the two were the parents of the children but did not know their relationship.
“You never know with kids being left in the car when one of them might get out, especially ranging in the ages from nine months to 9-years,” Assistant Chief Blish said. “You know the 9-year old or another sibling could have been able to unlock the car and get out and wander off, so that’s where all the child endangerment comes into play.”
Police said the children were doing fine when they were found.
DHS also responded to the Hard Rock. All five children were placed in the custody of a relative.
Whitfield and Rogers are still in the Rogers County Jail.
