A Harrisburg mother allegedly left her children alone for hours while gambling

DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — A mother allegedly left her children alone in a car while she gambled at Hollywood Casino Penn National, according to state police.

Joy Floyd, 39, of Harrisburg, is accused of leaving three children in the car she was driving while she was at a casino for two hours on Oct. 4, according to charges filed Wednesday.

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When asked why she left her children alone, Floyd said a relative was supposed to pick them up but they were running late, according to the criminal complaint.

Officers say they were alerted to a car on the ‘B’ level in the casino garage with several children unattended. When police found the vehicle, a gray Dodge Caravan, it was driving with its headlights on.

Three children aged 12, 11 and 2 were inside the car. State police say they asked the children why they were alone, and they said they were waiting for Floyd, who was at the casino, and although they were able to call her, they hadn’t been able to reach her recently.

Floyd was found playing roulette and questioned by the police.

She was found to have left the children alone for two hours after state police saw the time she entered the casino after reviewing security camera footage.

Floyd’s license was also suspended at the time, meaning she was ineligible to drive, the complaint states.

Floyd was charged with felony endangering the welfare of a child, as well as simple charges of leaving a child alone and driving while license suspended.

She was released on $5,000 unsecured bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 26.

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