Posted on: December 27, 2024, 07:03h. 

Last updated on: December 27, 2024, 07:03h.

A man is now facing a criminal felony after he left his four-year-old daughter alone in a parked car while he gambled at a Houston race track, authorities said.

Last week, Daniel Ruiz, 59, was charged with a form of child abandonment after the youngster was discovered unsupervised in the vehicle for over four hours at the Sam Houston Race Park.

The car’s engine was turned off while Ruiz was gambling. The girl was alone in the vehicle.

The office of Harris County Constable Mark Herman was alerted about the unsupervised child. Deputies went to the parking area of the track.

They located the four-year-old. Ruiz made his way back to the car as deputies were at the scene.

Admits He Was Gambling

Deputies questioned him about the situation. He admitted he had been gambling at the track, according to Houston TV station KRIV.

He was charged with child abandonment with intent to return. Ruiz was booked at the Harris County Jail. His bail was set at $5K. It appears Ruiz has been released from the jail, according to online jail records.

The case was turned over to local prosecutors. No word if he entered a plea in the case. If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison, according to information posted online.

Girl Given to Other Adult

Deputies contacted Texas Child Protective Services about the child. The youngster was given to another adult guardian while she was still at the race track. Texas Child Protective Services supervised the placement.

There were no reports that the child suffered any ailments while alone in the car. There’s no indication the girl required any medical attention.

Outdoor temperatures were estimated to have ranged between 55 and 63 degrees that day in Houston, according to online weather sites.

Sam Houston Race Park features Thoroughbred horse and American Quarter Horse racing during parts of the year. Other times, it provides simulcast racing. No word what Ruiz had wagered on and whether his bets were profitable.

Located 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston, Sam Houston Race Park is owned by Penn Entertainment.

In an unrelated case, two adults were apprehended earlier this week after they were accused of leaving their child unattended in a cold vehicle at Pennsylvania’s Parx Casino. The six-year-old girl was in the parked Honda CRV for about 45 minutes while the adults were inside the Bensalem, Pa. gaming property.