New law makes leaving children in vehicle a felony

By Alex Lloyd Gross

      After numerous children were left unattended at Parx casino while their parents  gambled, State Senator Robert Tomlinson and State Representative Gene DiGirolamo  enacted legislation to make it a felony for any person to abandon a child under the age of 13 in a motor vehicle

          During a press conference at the Bensalem Twp. Township building,  officials and lawmakers were on hand to address members of the media. "There is a difference in  leaving a 16 year old in a  vehicle for a few minutes to get something from a store versus leaving a 13 year old in a vehicle while the parent  shops in a mall or gambles inside a casino.

          "Inconceivable " is how  both Rep DiGirolamo and Senator Robert Tomlinson  related to the media when they learned of the recent  incidents at the Parx Casino. Bringing children to a casino is not new.  In Atlantic City, parents would bring their children to the casino and abandon them in the foyer of the casino.  The casino is no place for children. It is against the law for anyone under 21 to step foot inside the Parx casino.  It is legal for minors to be inside the  food establishments at Parx. However, it is against the policy of Parx casino to have minors on the property.

            While the management of Parx casino is behind this new legislation it is not a problem  that is aimed specifically at the Parx casino. This law  would work in Reading as well as Erie. Several people have resorted to finger pointing. The blame rest on the parents. In some of the occasions at the casino, children have been left unattended in a vehicle for 6 hours.

            The members of the legislature that were on hand to introduce this, have been working to secure the backing of  other members. The goal was to get social services involved in these instances." A felony conviction will prohibit  people from certain avenues of employment" said Bensalem Twp. Public Safety Director Fred Harran.

            There is the option to charge the parent with a felony and plead the crime down to a misdemeanor or even a summary case. "There is no mandatory  jail time" Tomlinson said.