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Parents Charged With Leaving Kids In Casino Parking Released

NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) - A Northwest Miami-Dade woman accused of leaving her two young boys inside a car while she and her boyfriend went gambling at a Hialeah Casino darted away from news crews Friday as she was released from jail.

Josephine Laidler, 26, refused to answer questions as she was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Center. She eventually walked back inside the main entrance of TGK and moments later was escorted to a waiting car where she covered her face with a white paper as she was driven away.

Her 25-year-old boyfriend, Tyrell Johnson, who is the father of the children and who is also charged in this case, ran away to a waiting car at TGK when he was released on Friday afternoon. He also refused to say anything.

Laidler and Johnson appeared before a judge on Friday morning. The judge ordered them to pre-trial release meaning they were allowed to leave jail without posting bond. If they are unable to comply with the terms of the program then the alternate bond would be  $10,000 or $5,000 per count against them. Both were also appointed public defenders as they both now face child neglect charges.

The maternal grandmother, Dorothy Johnson, also appeared in court with her husband, telling Dade County Judge Catherine Pooler, "I'm the grandmother of the kids. So I have temporary custody right now of the kids. So they go back to court on September 12th at 9:30."

On her way out of court, Dorothy Johnson and her husband refused to answer questions from CBS4's Peter D'Oench.

Click here to WATCH CBS4's Peter D'Oench's report

In court, Judge Pooler expressed concern about the charges.

"They left two kids in a car with the engine running on August 28th when the heat index was 100 degrees and the doors were unlocked," she said.

Judge Pooler told the father, "You are to have no contact with them [the children]. Do you understand?

"Yes," answered Tyrell Johnson.

"You live with them (the children)?" Pooler asked Johnson.

"Yes," he said.

"You're going to have to find somewhere else to live," Pooler said.

Employees at Hialeah Park Casino said a veteran security guard on routine patrol  discovered the 4- year old and 1 -year old boys in the car. Authorities said the children were left alone in a parking lot in their parents unlocked Pontiac for at least 90 minutes early Thursday.

"The car was unlocked and there could have been all sorts of problems with that and the possibility of something happening to them," said Hialeah Police Detective and spokesman Carl Zogby, who is also the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police. "The car was running, the engine was running and the air conditioning was on. The parents seemed to think that was ok but the law says otherwise," Zogby said.

A Casino spokesman said the parents were captured on surveillance tape arriving in their Pontiac just after midnight and then playing the slot machines inside the casino.

The parents also reportedly left the cars' windows cracked and claimed they thought their children were sleeping.

About 90 minutes later, security guard Wanda Moore spotted the children while checking the parked cars with her flashlight. She immediately notified Casino management and they made an announcement about the children.

Moore has been a security guard for 10 years. She declined to comment about her life-saving actions, saying she was camera shy.

One Casino employee who did not want to give his name said, "I have no doubt that what she did saved the lives of these two young boys. And that makes her a hero as far as I'm concerned."

The parents came forward and police were called.

When police arrived, they discovered that both children were barefoot. The 1-year old boy was wearing diapers.

The Department of Children and Families said the parents had no history with the department.

At a court hearing at the Juvenile Justice Center on Thurday, Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman gave temporary custody of the boys to the maternal grandparents.

The maternal grandmother told D'Oench that she did not want to comment on camera but she said she did not hesitate to volunteer to help the children. She said she has 20 grandchildren and told Judge Hanzman she was "starting school."

The maternal grandfather is a retired Vietnam Veteran.

There will be another hearing on September 12th for the children.

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