A Missouri mother allegedly abandoned her 4-year-old daughter at a truck stop overnight, then visited a casino and told police the child was not hers, investigators said.
Kayla Marie Christensen is accused of leaving the Love’s Travel Stop near Neosho at about 3 a.m. Friday with only her two young sons in the vehicle, according to an affidavit cited by lawandcrime.com.
Christensen later allegedly left the boys unattended inside her car while she entered a casino in Wyandotte, KZRG reported.
Police were initially called after the young girl was reportedly found alone in the truck stop parking lot. Investigators later located Christensen, according to the affidavit.
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When officers questioned her about the girl, Christensen allegedly said she had only two children—the boys—court documents state.
Authorities also reportedly discovered drug paraphernalia, including syringes, inside Christensen’s vehicle.
The two boys were also allegedly not secured correctly in their car seats, police said.
Christensen was arrested and charged with first-degree child abandonment and two counts of first-degree child endangerment, according to court records.
She additionally faces charges for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of failing to properly restrain a child.