Regional Talk > Philadelphia & Northeast > [Philly] Philadelphia Area Casinos

[Philly] Philadelphia Area Casinos

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Seventh child found in car in Parx Casino lot

By Larry King

Inquirer Staff Writer
The timing was horrible.

Or perfect, depending on your agenda.

At noon Thursday, state and local officials had called a news conference in Bensalem to address ways of ending a recent outbreak of adults leaving children alone in vehicles outside the Parx Casino there. Six such incidents had been reported since June 15, resulting in four arrests.

Less than three hours after the media event ended, a seventh child was found alone in the Parx lot.

This time it was a gambling grandfather who was charged with leaving his 12-year-old grandson in a sweltering SUV on an afternoon when the temperature reached 94 degrees at Philadelphia International Airport.

Bensalem police charged Alexander Salter Jr., 60, of Trenton, with endangering the welfare of a child. According to court records, he had left his grandson at 3:05 p.m. for about a half-hour.

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Having never set foot in the Parx casino (except when it first opened and was in the old original racetrack building), I can only venture a guess. It's because it's a standalone place. There's no boardwalk, beach, etc, etc. I don't even know if there is an area inside the building where kids can go while the parents go blow the rent money.
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So put me on a highway, and show me a sign.
And take it to the limit one more time...

reply to JukeBoxHero
Chuck E Cheese should open a store across the street from Parx or even on the Parx property. They would make a killing.

Here's an opinion piece from the local paper. They must have heard you.

The lawmakers want to make it a Felony to leave your kids in the car while gambling. Makes sense to me.

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Posted on Sun, Sep. 5, 2010

Monica Yant Kinney: Maybe Bensalem's Parx Casino should hire babysitters

By Monica Yant Kinney

Inquirer Columnist
If I were serious about drafting a plan for life after newspapers, I'd scout and incorporate strip-mall space near area casinos for a chain of drop-in 24/7 child-care centers.

I'd call my company something cute like Little Winners or Slots for Tots. And I'd insist on payment up front, since everyone knows most gamblers leave empty-handed.

The demand is definitely there at Bensalem's Parx Casino, where parents keep abandoning their kids to wager the days and nights away.

On Thursday, state legislators, a mayor, a police director, and casino execs held a news conference announcing their solution to the summer scourge: legislation that would make dumping kids to play craps a felony.

"One child left unattended is too many," said Parx's general counsel, Thomas Bonner. "We want to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Only it did, three hours later, when Trenton mechanic Alexander Salter Jr. shut his 12-year-old grandson in an SUV for a half-hour without keys, air-conditioning, or water. The temperature outside: an astonishing 94 degrees.

In case you've lost count, Salter joins a losers club of seven adults accused of endangering 13 children - including a 15-month-old - during the region's hottest summer in history.

At this point, the only thing more shocking than the fact that no one died is that the politicians who thought casinos would be swell neighbors never anticipated such desperation and depravity.

"Of all the problems we thought about that were going to happen," said State Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R., Bucks), "this is one thing that was probably inconceivable."

Confession time
If we're making confessions, I laughed when I heard that DiGirolamo and State Sen. Robert "Tommy" Tomlinson, a fellow Bucks Republican, seek tougher criminal sanctions to end the freak show. The legislators believe the prospect of seven years behind bars - plus a lifetime of scorn and slammed doors - will somehow deter adults from losing their minds.

That presumes an ability to think logically after you've blown the rent and diaper money. These parents aren't focused on the future. They're obsessed with the action, convinced their luck will change.

»www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20···comments

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reply to JukeBoxHero
Not related to casinos, but I have a story.

A few summers ago, it was well above 90 degrees. I had the kids outside running around playing with the other kids for a few hours. I had to head to the grocery store, so I took them along with me. They were head to toe with sweat and exhausted. The girls had passed out in the car a minute or two after driving off. I had the AC on full blast and by the time I got to the grocery store, it was an ice box in the car.

When I got to the parking lot, I shut the car off, still an ice box, got out, walked to the cart drop-off which was about 20 feet away, and grabbed a cart. It was the most horrible timing in the world because a couple had walked by and saw these two kids in a car with the windows up, passed out, dripping with sweat in 90+ degree weather and no parents in sight. They were horrified.

I was gone maybe 20 seconds to get a cart. Came back, the couple walked off, not acting on what they saw, but I can't imagine what they thought from their point of view. I opened the back door for the kids and a burst of cold air came out of the car. I got the kids out, put them in the cart, and did my shopping.

I'm sure none of this happened at the casino and people generally put their kids in sweat boxes to die while they gambled, but I thought I'd share the story anyways.
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'A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.' -Thomas Jefferson -

reply to JukeBoxHero
I visited the new Sugar House Casino down on Delaware Avenue yesterday. They have a sign at the entrance that tells you not to leave your kids in the car while you go inside. I kinda chuckled when I saw it considering the history at Parx.
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So put me on a highway, and show me a sign.
And take it to the limit one more time...

They need a sign? lol

I haven't been there yet and I haven't been to Parx in a while. When I get a few extra bucks I'll check out the table games.

Did you win enough to retire?

reply to JukeBoxHero
Sands in Bethlehem is terrible. I've won nothing on their slots. Parx however, i've been hand paid four jackpots in five trips there this year, all from the penny slots/max bets.

As someone who used to gamble a lot, it doesn't surprise me one bit people would leave their kids like that to play. The urge to play can be that great at times.

reply to JukeBoxHero

Sure! Let's pass another law!

Visited Sugar House again earlier in the week... Won more than I ever have in my life at a casino. I was only there 20 minutes. I had the common sense to quit while I was ahead.
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So put me on a highway, and show me a sign.
And take it to the limit one more time...

How much did you win?

reply to JukeBoxHero

Re: [Philly] Philadelphia Area Casinos

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Casinos have been operating in Pennsylvania for a few years, but it wasn't until gambling came to Philadelphia that a patron leaving with a wad of cash caught the eye of some enterprising - and ultimately bumbling - criminals.

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reply to JukeBoxHero
Now it's happening in Pittsburgh!

Looks like parental stupidity isn't just in Philly.

»www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_up···ino.html

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2 accused of leaving kids in car at Pa. casino

The Associated Press

PITTSBURGH - Authorities in western Pennsylvania say a man and woman have been arrested after allegedly leaving three young children in a minivan while gambling at a casino.

Officials said security guards at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh were alerted at 3:41 p.m. Saturday that the children were alone in the vehicle in the parking garage.

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