Georgia Parents Arrested After Children Left in Car During Gambling
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The case has drawn attention to the risks of unattended children at gambling locations, even outside traditional casino settings.
Police said Tyshun Lockhart and Jaysonee Worthen left three children and a baby inside a vehicle outside a Texaco gas station on Mableton Parkway. All four children are under the age of five, with the youngest reported to be four months old.
Investigators said the parents were inside the gas station playing slot machines while the children remained in the car for about two hours. Police said the vehicle had no air conditioning while outside temperatures reached around 80 degrees.
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Witness Called Police After Hearing Children Crying
Police were called after someone heard the children crying in the vehicle near a gas pump.
A witness said in a 911 call that the mother came out to the car to give the baby a pacifier before returning inside. The caller also described the heat outside while reporting the children’s condition to emergency services.
Gas station customer Metzger Zuniga described the situation as dangerous and irresponsible. Another customer, James Meyers, said the case showed a serious problem when gambling was placed ahead of child safety.
“That’s really sad. I love kids, and you’re putting a game before your child? You’ve got a problem”, Meyers said.
Lockhart and Worthen were arrested at the gas station. Both parents are facing multiple felony counts of cruelty to children. The report did not say whether the children required medical treatment after being removed from the vehicle.
Authorities have not released further details on the next court date for the two parents.
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