Kids, ages 8 and 2, found wandering in Bethlehem casino parking deck, troopers say – lehighvalleylive.com

A New Jersey woman is facing criminal charges after her two children were found wandering the fifth floor of the Wind Creek Bethlehem casino parking garage.

Pennsylvania State Police stationed at the casino were called at about 6 p.m. Jan. 10 after a witness found an 8-year-old boy and his 2-year-old sister wandering the fifth floor of the parking garage.

The boy told troopers he came to the casino with his mother, Aliyah Smith, and his grandmother. The grandmother went inside to gamble and was “gone too long” so Smith went inside to get her and left the two children alone, troopers said.

Smith reportedly told the children to wait in the car while she went inside to get their grandmother so they could go home.

Smith believed she left the children alone for about 10 minutes; troopers said video surveillance showed the kids were alone for 39 minutes before they were brought to casino security.

Aliyah Smith, 35, of Essex County, was arrested Jan. 10 and charged with two counts of child endangerment.

She is free after posting 10 percent of $8,000 bail on Tuesday. There was no phone number listed for Smith, and an attorney has not entered an appearance in the case.

Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.