Alabama man accused of leaving child in cold car in casino parking lot
Published 8:30 am Friday, December 13, 2019
An Alabama man accused of leaving a 6-year-old girl in a cold car in a casino parking lot has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child, nearly four years after the crime was reported in February 2016.
Zachary Hines was served a warrant for the misdemeanor charge on Wednesday, The Montgomery Advertiser reported.
Police documents from the time allege that on Valentine’s Day 2016, Hines arrived for work at the Wind Creek Casino just after midnight with the girl in the car.
The now 26-year-old left the car unlocked and went inside, according to court records. Historic temperature data shows it was about 34 degrees that night.
A Poarch Creek tribal police officer was notified by a casino patron there was a child inside a car crying.
The officer put the shivering girl in a patrol vehicle to warm her up, an arrest warrant documented.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received the warrant three days after it was signed on Feb. 19, 2016, records show, but it wasn’t served until Wednesday.
It’s unclear what caused the nearly 4-year delay.