7th Kid Left in Car Outside Parx Casino

Officials just introduced tougher legislation against such acts earlier in the day

Yet another child was left sitting inside a car while their relative was gambling inside a Bucks County casino, police say.

A 12-year-old boy was found inside an illegally parked Ford Explorer in the parking lot of Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa. around 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Investigators say the boy spent about 30 minutes in the hot SUV, while his grandfather was inside the gambling hall playing slots.

Parx security staff took the boy from the car and into the casino to cool down, police say.

"The windows were down in the car...take any common person, sit them down in a car in 90-plus degree weather and tell me how you feel," Bensalem Police Sgt. Andrew Aninsman said. "Fortunately for the child, the child's fine."

Police were waiting at the SUV when the boy's 60-year-old grandfather, Alexander Salter, Jr., returned. Salter was then taken into custody and later charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

Salter didn't answer any questions as he left jail Thursday night. Officials say the man admitted to leaving the 12-year-old in the car, but contended it was only for less than 15 minutes.

This is the seventh time this summer a child was left alone in a car outside the casino, official say. The last incident happened just over a week ago.

In a stroke of irony, this latest incident came only a few hours after township and state officials held a press conference introducing new legislation to increase punishments for leaving children unattended outside Parx.

"It's currently a misdemeanor," State Senator Tommy Tomlinson said. "We're going to make it a third-degree felony and that increases the jail time to up to seven years…and a fine of $15,000."

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