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Couple Left Kids in Van While They Slept in Motel
CASEYVILLE, Ill. (AP) -- Authorities in St. Clair County have filed child endangerment charges against a Columbia, Mo., couple who allegedly fell asleep in a Caseyville motel room after leaving an infant and toddler in a running van outside.

Police say they first found 29-year-old Benjamin Atkins and 28-year-old Jaymie Bowling asleep in their van Friday morning in a McDonald's parking lot. A 7-month-old boy and another boy, almost 2, were in the back seat.

Police told the couple to return to a motel where they were staying while Bowling worked at a Caseyville strip club.

Police later got a call about two unattended children in a van.

The parents were found in their motel room. Officers say Atkins appeared confused and said he thought the children were in the room with them.


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11 27 09 by Newsroom
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