Woman Accused Of Leaving Baby, 10-Year-Old In Car While At Rohnert Park Casino
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A San Jose woman was arraigned on two felony child endangerment charges in Sonoma County Superior Court Tuesday for allegedly leaving her two young children in a parked car while she visited the Graton Resort & Casino near Rohnert Park last month.
Maria Mondragon-Barboza, 37, delayed entering a plea until August.
Sonoma County sheriff's deputies arrested her June 30 on a misdemeanor child endangerment charge after a deputy saw a small child in the back seat of a Honda on the upper level of a parking structure at the casino.
The 10-year-old girl in the Honda told the deputy her mother left her to care for her 1-year-old brother while she went into the casino, sheriff's Sgt. Cecile Focha said.
The deputy contacted casino security and brought Mondragon-Barboza to the Honda in about 20 minutes, Focha said.
Mondragon-Barboza told the deputy she was going into the casino for only a few minutes and didn't want to bring the children because the infant was sleeping.
She was booked on the misdemeanor child endangerment charge and an aunt picked up the children, Focha said.
