A mother in Ohio was arrested after she put her seven children, including an infant, at risk by allegedly locking them inside of her car while she went into an internet cafe to gamble.
Racqual Roniquel Hicks was taken into custody on Thursday, March 19, and was charged with seven counts of endangering children by creating a substantial risk to health or safety, according to online records viewed by Luxury Handbag Shopping.
Hicks, 37, allegedly put her seven children into her car and drove to Luna’s Internet Cafe in Toledo at 9:15 p.m. on March 19, according to a criminal complaint filed in Toledo Municipal Court and viewed by Law & Crime.
Police said that the children are 11 months, 1, 2, 6, 10, 13 and 15 years old.
The criminal complaint said that Hicks created a “substantial risk” to the safety of the children for various reasons. Not only did she leave them in the car unattended for about 40 minutes, but she also drove to the internet cafe with a suspended license and allegedly did not have any car seats installed in the vehicle for the younger children.
Officials said that once Hicks arrived at the internet cafe, she “did knowingly leave the children in the car” from 9:20 p.m. until around 10 p.m. The complaint went on to say that she was “gambling at the listed location” during the time her kids were left “unsupervised” in the car.
Hicks was ultimately arrested and booked into the Lucas County Corrections Center on the night of the incident.
It is not currently clear how the children were located in the vehicle or where they went after Hicks was taken into custody.
She made her first court appearance on Friday, March 20, before Toledo Municipal Judge Joseph J. Howe, where she pleaded not guilty to all seven counts filed against her.
Howe ordered for Hicks to be released on her own recognizance under the condition she wears a GPS tracking device.
The court also determined that Hicks was unable to afford an attorney of her own, so she was appointed a public defender to represent her in the case.
It is not currently clear if she has been scheduled to make her next appearance in court.
The Toledo Police Department did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding the case. The investigation into the case remains ongoing.
