Cristina Hodgson
A WOMAN of German nationality has been arrested in Marbella after allegedly leaving her three-year-old son alone in the car while she was gambling in a Marbella casino.
According to official sources, the woman claimed she had gone into the establishment because she felt unwell, but the police found her and her partner, also of German nationality, carrying gambling chips worth €5,000.
The incident took place last Saturday when the Policia Nacional were alerted by a citizen that a three-year-old child had been left abandoned inside a car.
The officers located the child half asleep and alone in the car, the vehicle windows were up, however the doors were unlocked and the officers were able to verify that the child was in good health.
After checking on the child, the officers then unsuccessfully tried to locate family members using the car’s registration number.
After a while, a couple came out of the casino and ran towards the vehicle.
Officials identified both individuals and verified that the woman, in her 30s, was the boy’s mother.
The woman allegedly told the officers that she had felt unwell and had gone inside the casino to use the toilets.
However, after a brief search, the police found that the couple were carrying gambling chips to the value of €5,000.
The police then went into the casino to interview employees in order to verify the story.
Several members of staff confirmed that the couple had been playing at roulette and blackjack tables and had been inside the establishment for over 40 minutes.
The couple were arrested for the alleged crime of temporary abandonment of a minor.
The mother was, however, later released—pending on a court appearance—in order to care for her son having no other close relatives in the area.
