Pennsylvania Police Say Mom Left 14-Month-Old Baby in Locked Car While She Gambled for Hours
Posted on: April 17, 2026, 12:36h.
Last updated on: April 17, 2026, 12:40h.
- A mom in Pennsylvania is facing a felony charge for leaving her 14-month-old baby in a locked vehicle while she gambled for two hours
- The mother faces up to seven years in prison and fines up to $15,000
- Pennsylvania continues to stress that children should never be left unattended in a vehicle
Police in Pennsylvania say a mother of a 14-month-old baby left her child in a locked vehicle while she gambled for at least two hours.
On April 14, shortly before 9 pm, the Bensalem Police Department responded to the Parx Casino parking lot on reports that a baby had been left in an unoccupied vehicle. Police said the baby was found to be sweating but asleep in a rear car seat.
The Bucks County Courier Times reports that police officers used a lockout kit to open the car and rescue the child. The baby was reported to be “very hot,” covered in sweat, and wearing a soiled diaper. The baby was transported to a hospital for further evaluation.
Law enforcement located and arrested Leola Dualuqua, 37, of Willingboro, New Jersey. The arrest affidavit reported casino surveillance capturing Dualuqua entering the Parx Casino shortly before 6:30 pm. She didn’t return to her vehicle until met by police around 8:30 pm.
Dualuqua has been charged with felony endangerment of the welfare of a child and a summary charge for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. Temperatures during the incident were above 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
A LinkedIn profile for a Leola Dualuqua in Willingboro, NJ, shows she’s a teacher with Willingboro Public Schools.
Unattended Children
Pennsylvania continues its public service announcement to limit instances of children being left unattended outside casinos in vehicles. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board’s “Don’t Gamble With Kids” website says leaving kids in vehicles is a bet “never worth the gamble.”
Temperatures in parked vehicles rise quickly. The National Weather Service says temperatures can rise 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes, and 50 degrees in an hour.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is seeking to raise awareness about this unfortunate problem that puts children at risk and can lead to significant legal consequences for adults. People caught leaving children unattended while visiting a casino can face serious legal, financial and social consequences,” the PGCB says.
Dualuqua was arraigned on Wednesday but was sent free after posting 10% of a $25,000 cash bail. She’s due in court on April 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Child Welfare Endangerment
In Pennsylvania, a person is charged with endangering the welfare of a child when they engage in a “course of conduct” that creates a “substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury” to the child. The third-degree felony charge facing Dualuqua carries a possible imprisonment of up to seven years and $15,000 in fines.
Persons who leave children unattended in vehicles outside casinos are typically banned from entering casinos in the commonwealth in the future.
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