Lincoln, Calif. – A Rancho Cordova couple who left their 7-week-old baby in the car while they gambled at Thunder Valley Casino near Lincoln has a sentencing date of August 25 after pleading no contest to felony child abuse.
Thuan Huy Nguyen and Panfila Phu Phan, both 27, could face up to 90 days in jail and a three-year probation sentence after entering the new plea last Wednesday before Placer County Superior Court Judge Jeff Penney. The two had previously pled not guilty.
Prosecutor Joe McInerney of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said the couple will be required to attend a one-year parenting class.
If the couple is progressing well after the first 18 months of probation, they can apply to the court to have the felony conviction reduced to a misdemeanor, McInerney said.
In the meantime, the baby, now five months old, is in the custody of relatives and could eventually be returned to the parents, he said.
Nguyen and Phan were arrested April 13 on suspicion of leaving the baby unattended in their vehicle in a casino parking garage for about two-and-a-half hours. A security guard discovered the baby in the vehicle.
