Calgary police have arrested a man after he left his 21-month-old son alone in a car outside a casino for six hours - in below-freezing temperatures, officials said Monday.
Police said they responded to a call to the Silver Dollar Casino on 42nd Avenue S.E. just after midnight Monday morning after a patron noticed a child crying in a car. Officers said they arrived to find the car - windows covered with blankets to prevent people from seeing inside - with a toddler inside.
The boy, according to police, was very lightly dressed, with no shoes or socks. He was fastened to a rear seat child restraint, was cold and crying, and had thrown up on himself.
The temperature outside at the time, police said, was around -8 C. EMS crews took the child to hospital, where he is in non-life-threatening condition.
Police also said they found the 50-year-old father of the child inside the casino, where he was arrested and charged with abandoning a child. Officials said they believe the child had been alone outside the casino for six hours, although the father may have occasionally came out to check on the toddler.
The name of the man has not been released to protect the identity of the child, who is now in the custody of Child and Family Services while investigations continue.
Pff, -8. That's summer weather.
Pff, -8. That's summer weather.
Not to us Southern United States members.
Pff, -8. That's summer weather.
Not to us Southern United States members.
I'd rather slip into the sweet sweet embrace of hypothermia than furiously panting into a 1/4" crack in a window while my internal organs shut down