Cops: Pa. mom left boy, 9, alone in car to play casino slots

PITTSBURGH - A woman is accused of leaving her 9-year-old son alone in her car outside Pittsburgh's Rivers Casino, so she could redeem a $10 voucher she won at the Pirates' major league baseball game that same night.

Police say 30-year-old Valerie Snyder told them she won the voucher at the baseball game Tuesday night, and didn't want to have to drive back into the city to use it. Snyder lives in Tarentum, about 25 miles away, and the casino offer was only good for 24 hours.

Police and paramedics were called when a customer spotted the boy alone. He told police his mom was in the casino redeeming a prize.

It wasn't immediately clear how long the boy was left alone. His father arrived to pick him up.

Snyder was arrested and charged with leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle and endangering the welfare of a child. She was released from the Allegheny County Jail without bail, according to CBS Pittsburgh.

The station said the Rivers Casino issued the following statement about the incident on Wednesday:

"We can't stop parents from making bad decisions; but we are vigilant in our efforts to prevent this from happening. In addition to multiple, large underage restriction signs, our parking lot is monitored 24/7 by surveillance cameras and patrols. This individual will receive a lifetime ban from our casino. We take this issue very seriously."