Florida Couple Arrested After Leaving Three Children in Jeep While Gambling

HOLLYWOOD, Florida – Police arrested a mother and stepfather after three children were found alone in a turned-off Jeep outside Seminole Classic Casino on November 1. Investigators allege the adults left the children unattended for approximately an hour while gambling inside the casino.

Lillian Mun, 32, and Terrence Wright, 42, face multiple charges, including child neglect and leaving children unattended in a motor vehicle. Casino security alerted authorities after discovering the children inside the parked Jeep with its windows rolled up.

Casino Security Finds Three Children Sweating Inside Jeep

According to arrest reports, security personnel noticed three children inside a vehicle that was not running. The children initially appeared unresponsive, prompting security staff to open the vehicle and check on them.

All three children were conscious but sweating when the doors were opened. Responding officers reported feeling heat coming from inside the Jeep, while one child had visible beads of sweat on their face.

The children, including a 1-year-old, had no access to food, water or a cellphone to contact their parents or request emergency assistance. Investigators recorded an outdoor temperature of approximately 76 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of the incident.

Seminole Fire Rescue personnel examined the children and determined that they did not require further medical attention. Authorities reported no injuries.

The incident occurred during the early morning hours of November 1 at Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood, just south of Fort Lauderdale.

Surveillance Footage Allegedly Shows Couple Gambling Inside Casino

Investigators reviewed casino surveillance footage to establish how long the children had been left alone and what the adults were doing inside the property.

According to police, Wright entered the casino shortly after the Jeep arrived. He later told officers that he had gone inside to use the bathroom.

Mun reportedly told investigators she had initially remained in the vehicle with her children, but the engine turned off and she did not have the keys to restart it. She said she entered the casino to find Wright and had been inside for approximately 20 minutes.

Police said surveillance footage showed Mun entering the casino at approximately 12:38 a.m. and sitting near Wright at a slot machine several minutes later.

Investigators reported that Wright appeared to be gambling while Mun initially watched. Footage allegedly showed the couple later playing a slot machine together, without either adult returning to check on the children.

Based on the surveillance footage, investigators estimated that the children remained unattended in the vehicle for approximately one hour.

The couple had reportedly been in a relationship for three years and lived together as a family. Wright was described as the children’s stepfather and a father figure in their household.

Couple Faces Child Neglect Charges Following Arrest

Mun and Wright were arrested on November 1 and appeared before a Broward County judge the following day. Both face three counts of child neglect without great bodily harm, along with charges related to leaving young children unattended in a motor vehicle.

During the November 2 court appearances, a judge denied Mun bond because she was already on probation in connection with a previous grand theft case. Wright’s bond was set at $22,500.

Following the arrests, authorities released the three children into the care of a friend of Mun. The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified and may conduct a separate investigation into their welfare.

The incident follows another Pennsylvania casino case in which a woman was charged after police found her toddler unattended inside a vehicle while she was allegedly gambling.

In the latest Florida case, casino security personnel were responsible for discovering the children and alerting authorities. No allegations of wrongdoing have been reported against Seminole Classic Casino or its employees.

Mun and Wright have been charged but not convicted in connection with the incident. Further court proceedings will determine the outcome of the case.

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