ALTON — A 23-year-old father was charged with endangering the life or health of a child after police said he left his 6-month-old infant locked inside a vehicle while he went into Argosy Casino to gamble on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.
The Alton Police Department was notified at approximately 5:47 p.m. Wednesday of an infant locked inside a vehicle in the casino parking lot at 1 Piasa St.
Officers arrived and met with casino personnel, who had immediately contacted police upon learning the infant had been left unattended.
Alton Police said an initial investigation determined that the child’s father, Blake R. McGill, of Raymond, Ill. had left the infant in the vehicle to gamble inside the casino. Officers contacted McGill and took him into custody.
The Alton Fire Department transported the child to a local hospital, where he was treated and later released to his mother’s care.
The Department of Children and Family Services was notified about the situation, Alton Police said.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.