Last night around 11:39 PM, while a Deputy was on patrol at the parking structure of the Graton Casino in Rohnert Park, he observed a small child sitting in the back seat of a black Honda. He contacted a child in the car who said her mother had gone into the casino and left her to care for her little brother.
The car was parked on the upper level and the keys were inside with the ignition in the ‘on’ position. The children could’ve easily left the car and walked into traffic, fallen from the ledge or become victims of any number of crimes.
The Deputy called for security to locate the mother inside the casino while he attended to the children. After about 20 minutes, security arrived with Maria Yadira Mondragon-Barboza. She was visiting from San Jose and left her kids unattended in the vehicle.
Mondragon-Barboza said was only going into the casino for a few minutes and didn`t want to bring her 10 year old and 1 year old with her since the baby was sleeping. She later acknowledged that it was dangerous to leave the children alone.
Maria Yadira Mondragon-Barboza, 37 years old of San Jose, was booked into county jail for violation of 273a(a) PC - child endangerment, a misdemeanor.
The children were picked up by their aunt and are safe. Mondragon-Barboza produced bail and is scheduled to appear in court on July 22, 2014 at 0830.
Prepared by Sergeant Cecile Focha
Media Relations /PIO
case #140701-001
