Gambling Dad Charged for Leaving Kids in Hot Car

DETROIT, MI — A Ypsilanti man accused of leaving his young children in a locked, hot car while he gambled at a Detroit casino Monday has been charged with two counts of second-degree child abuse, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

According to a news release, Montez D’Angelo Sistrunk, 25, was scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Tuesday afternoon in 36th District Court.

The children, ages 2 years and 5 months, were rescued by a MotorCity Casino security guard after an employee found them inside the car in a casino parking garage on the 2900 block of Grand River Avenue around 10:30 a.m. Monday.

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The temperature in Detroit was around 77 degrees when the children were discovered locked inside a 2011 Ford Focus. They had been in the vehicle for 15 to 30 minutes according to Detroit police.

“The windows weren’t cracked or anything and they were locked in the car,” Detroit police Officer Jennifer Moreno told The Detroit News. “Typically, if a vehicle is completely closed, even in the shade, in this weather, the inside of the vehicle can reach up to 120 degrees within 30 minutes.”

On average, 37 children a year die after being left inside hot cars.

It happens quickly — after just minutes in a hot car, a child’s core body temperature rises to 105 degrees and their bodies begin to shut down. It also happens across the socioeconomic spectrum, a sign of America’s busy, fast-paced society. This year, there have been 27 hot-car deaths.

Sistrunk’s children are expected to recover.

Image: MotorCity Casino Hotel by Ken Lund via Flickr Commons