A 44 year old man, who left his 4 year old son alone in a car in freezing weather so he could go enter an internet cafe and gamble at a cyber casino was charged Friday with child endangerment likely to cause substantial harm.
The boy was taken to Shakopee hospital to be checked out and was then released to child protective services, which will locate the boy's mother and reunite them.
As well as the child endangerment charges he will also be charged with lying on his statement to the police, which is a misdemeanor charge.
The boy was found by someone leaving the casino on their way to their car. They found the boy walking around the parking lot just after 12AM Thursday morning, and brought him to the casinos security guards.
According to police when the boy was found the temperature outside was 7 degrees bellow zero and the boy was suffering from a mild case of hypothermia. Police also added that had the child been left outside for any longer he surly would have died from the cold.
The man pulled into the casino parking lot at 10:51 Pm according to security cameras in the parking lot.
After being arrested the man did confess to leaving his son in the car so he could go into the casino and play some blackjack. A judge set his bail at $8,000 which he could not pay.