Child left in car while mum played pokies

An 18-month old child left in a car outside a Blenheim tavern while his mother played the poker machines was sweating and distressed when found.

Aysia McMillan, 18, appeared in the Blenheim District Court yesterday and admitted a charge of leaving a child under 14 without adequate supervision.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Stringer said McMillan left her son in her car with the windows wound up for about 45 minutes while she went to play the pokies.

The car was parked in hot sun and the child soon became upset.

"When passersby noticed the child, he was in a very distressed state and sweating profusely," he said.

When staff at the Grove Tavern challenged McMillan about her actions she became abusive towards them.

Lawyer Bryony Senior said McMillan had since enrolled at a young mothers' group and had ongoing contact with Barnados.

"She has obtained work and her child is cared for by Barnados while she works," she said.

Judge Geoffrey Ellis said there were obviously pressures on McMillan, who was only young herself and faced with the responsibility of raising a child on her own.

"The concerns I have are for your own welfare as well as that of your child's," he said.

Judge Ellis convicted McMillan and ordered her to come up for sentence if called upon.

- NZPA