Lounla Xayathep and Phayvong Peaungvong-Pakdy were charged with three counts each of leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle and endangering the welfare of a child: Children left in car parked in.
I don't want to guess what goes through the mind of someone who will spend an afternoon at the casino over the safety their children. I can't understand that. Needless to say, a priority check is in order. The children have been placed in the care of a county family caseworker.
They are accused of leaving three children alone in a parked vehicle for about 50 minutes. The children included a 10-month-old girl, a three-year-old boy, and a 10-year-old boy.
Police said a passer-by notified a security guard at The Rivers at about 3:45 p.m. Saturday that he had seen three small children unattended in a minivan parked in the casino lot. Police were alerted.
Security video allowed authorities to determine that Ms. Peaungvong-Pakdy had exited the vehicle at about 1:30 p.m. and entered the casino. Mr. Xayathep followed at about 3:07 p.m. Mr. Xayathep returned to the vehicle at about 4 p.m. after the casino gave a description of the vehicle over the public announcement system. Ms. Peaungvong-Pakdy followed soon after.
The couple were arrested and brought to Allegheny County Jail where an interpreter was to be retained due to what police described as their limited understanding of English.
