On Sunday June 14th at 2:00am, APD officers were sent to the Old Sante Fe Lounge at 4901 S. Western on a report of children being left unattended or possibly abandoned. Upon arrival officers spoke with several witnesses that reported that 2 small children ages 7 & 9 had walked into the bar a few minutes earlier looking for their uncle. The girls advised that they were from Houston and were visiting family in Amarillo for the summer and had been bowling with their aunt and uncle. After bowling, the uncle and the girls stopped at the Old Sante Fe Lounge when he stated he needed to go see a co-worker for just a few minutes and would be back out shortly. According to the girls and witnesses, the uncle had been inside or away from the car for at least two hours. While witnesses were talking to the girls no one came forward and identified themselves as the uncle and or a relative so officers were called.
Upon officer’s arrival, they finally made contact with the uncle who is identified as Steven Elliott Hughes B/M 31 of Amarillo. Officers took Hughes outside and began speaking with him about abandoning the children. As officers were speaking with Hughes, he took off running from officers in an attempt to elude them. Officers pursued Hughes and deployed a taser on him, stopping him from fleeing. Officers were finally able to gain control of Hughes and he was returned back to the scene and placed in a patrol car.
Due to the time of the night, location and the young age of the girls, Hughes was arrested for Abandoning/Endangering a Child with Intent to Return, Evading Arrest/Detention and Possession of a Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 less than 1 gram. Hughes was booked into the Randall County Jail.
For clarification, it is believed that Hughes and the two small children had parked at another nearby bar. Hughes was inside the Old Sante Fe Lounge for a few minutes but left. Hughes did come back inside the Old Sante Fe Lounge around closing looking for the girls, which by that time were already inside.
