Father Leaves 5-Year-Old Son in Car While at a Strip Club

By Kirsten McIntyre, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Police arrested a father for allegedly leaving his young son alone in a car while he went into a strip club to drink.

Police said Gary Madison II, 34, is facing a felony child neglect charge for leaving his 5-year-old son by himself in the parking lot of Fancy's nightclub in Valley Brook.

Police said a concerned mother looking for her husband and son saw the boy in the car.

"She went to a couple of different clubs and just happened to find his truck there at Fancy's," said Valley Brook Police Capt. Mike Stamp.

While the husband was inside drinking, police said the boy was sleeping inside the truck. Police said the pickup was left running with the air conditioner on.

"The officer was able to confirm through the club's surveillance that the vehicle had been parked there for just over two hours with the child inside," Stamp said.

According to a police report, Madison told officers, "Coal was asleep, and I thought it would be OK to go in there and have a beer."

Read the police report

When asked how long he'd been inside, he replied, "I don't know how long exactly, I didn't finish my pitcher of beer."

"We did ask if he felt like he was intoxicated, and he felt like he was feeling a little buzz," Stamp said.

Police said Madison may have admitted his mistakes, but it's still a serious situation.

"It needs to be taken serious, and if it wasn't for a resilient mother looking for her child, something even more serious could have happened," Stamp said.

Madison also faces a drug possession charge. Police said when Madison was taken to jail, they discovered cocaine hidden in a sock.

Madison could not be reached for comment.

Madison will appear in court at the end of July.