A 29-year-old Oklahoma woman is facing child neglect charges after allegedly abandoning her baby at a casino in Florida on Christmas Eve.
Rubi Verduzco was arrested at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, after her baby was found alone with a soiled diaper. According to arrest records, a group of unidentified men brought the baby to the casino’s bell desk and left.
A Seminole Police officer responded to the scene and found the infant unattended in a stroller. The baby had reportedly been left alone for approximately 30 minutes.
Casino staff eventually located Verduzco, who was allegedly intoxicated and unable to provide her baby’s age. She was identified using her Oklahoma medical marijuana card.
Verduzco contacted the baby’s father, who initially claimed to be in Oklahoma and instructed police to place the child in state custody. He later stated he was in Orlando but was unsure if he could take custody of the child.
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Verduzco was arrested and charged with two felony counts of child neglect without great bodily harm. She was booked into the North Broward Bureau jail and is currently being held on a $2,500 bond.
The Florida Department of Children and Families has taken custody of the baby.
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