Child abandonment dropped in casino case
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 1, 2010 | 1:31 PM MT
CBC News
Firefighters found the boy in a van outside the Silver Dollar Casino in Calgary. (CBC)A man who left his toddler in a locked car outside a Calgary casino has had a charge of child abandonment against him withdrawn.
In March 2009, the man — who can't be named, in order to protect the child's identity — left his 21-month-old boy alone in the car in light pajamas outside of the Silver Dollar Casino in southeast Calgary.
The temperature outside was –9 C.
A casino patron heard a child crying shortly after midnight and called for help.
Firefighters got into the car and removed the child, who was covered in vomit.
The court heard Wednesday that the 52-year-old single father was a pathological gambler who had lost more than $2 million since moving to Canada 13 years ago.
He had already pleaded guilty to an offence under Alberta's Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act.
He was given a year-long conditional sentence, including a ban on gambling in casinos or bingo halls, and has regained custody of his child.
The boy was uninjured in the incident.
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