A Houston man faces felony charges after allegedly leaving his 4-year-old daughter alone in a parked car for over four hours while he gambled at Sam Houston Race Park.

Daniel Ruiz, 59, was charged with child abandonment with intent to return after deputies from the Harris County Constable's office discovered the unsupervised child in his vehicle. The car's engine was off during the entire incident.

Deputies located the child after receiving an alert about an unsupervised minor. Ruiz returned to the vehicle while law enforcement was present and admitted to gambling inside the track.

Following his arrest, Ruiz was booked at Harris County Jail with bail set at $5,000. He has since been released. If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison.

The child was unharmed, with outdoor temperatures ranging between 55 and 63 degrees that day. Texas Child Protective Services was notified, and the girl was released to another adult guardian at the scene.

Sam Houston Race Park, owned by Penn Entertainment and located 15 miles northwest of downtown Houston, offers both live horse racing and simulcast events throughout the year.

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