Three people are charged with child desertion after leaving a 2-year-old child in a vehicle while there were in a truck-stop casino.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said detectives were notified by the business that a security officer and employee both witnessed the child in the vehicle alone with the windows slightly down..
Video showed the child was in the vehicle while the mother, Pashuia Thomas and her friend Christine Johnson would take turns playing in the casino, each taking about five minutes to play, Guidroz stated.
“On the last time, the mother went into the casino and stayed approximately 45 minutes when the child is seen on video exiting the car while Johnson remained in the vehicle. The 2-year-old child is seen walking alone towards the dine-in part of the truck stop. An employee exited the truck stop with the child in her arms and walked the parking lot in search of the child’s parents. After finding no one, the employee walked back to the dine-in area with the child and Johnson is seen exiting the car walking into the casino,” Guidroz stated in a news released.
“The employee was then met by Leonard Ray Boagni who stopped the employee and told her that the child was with them and that the child belonged to his girlfriend (Thomas). Boagni then took the child to the car and placed him in the backseat and left him alone in the car. Boagni then walked inside the casino and exited with Johnson then the both of them walked back into the casino. Johnson was seen several times entering and exiting the casino while the child remained in the car alone. Seeing this, the security officer notified the management and notified the sheriff’s office,” the news release stated.
The three charged with child desertion were:
Pashuia Lashae Thomas, 32, of the 900 block of Bernice Street, Opelousas;
Christine Michelle Johnson, 34, of the 200 block of Foster Drive, Lawtell; and
Leonard Ray Boagni, 40, of the 2100 block of Dupre Road, Opelousas.
Bail of $1,500 was set for all three.
