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Police: Tots Roam Tampa Motel As Parents Play Video Games

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By HOWARD ALTMAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 5, 2008

TAMPA - Lavon Rowells, 23, was so focused on playing video games, police say, that he lost track of time and let his two toddlers wander in a motel for several hours Sunday night.

Lavon Rowells

At 9:12 p.m., a 3-year-old girl and a 2-year-old boy were found wandering in the hall outside Room 207 at Rodeway Inn at 210 Fowler Ave., according to a police report.

Here is the police report version of events:

When the children were spotted outside their room, police were called. There was no parent or guardian in sight, so the room was searched. Police found trash scattered and piles of vomit, but there was nothing for the children to eat or drink.

Police took custody of the children.

Christina Rowells

Four hours later, Rowells and his wife, Christina, 24, returned to the motel. At first the couple said they had gone to a store.

After being arrested on two counts of child neglect each, the couple changed their story.

Christina was working at Fantasy Dolls as a stripper. Lavon Rowells got bored and went to go see her.

The police report says he told authorities: "The kids were sleepin so it didn't matter."

The couple left the club and went to a friend's house to play video games.

"When you play video games, you get focused on that," Lavon Rowells told police.

They are being held at Orient Road Jail with no bail set.

It was not immediately clear what happened to the children.

Stay with TBO.com for developments.

Editor Howard Altman can be reached at (813) 259-7629 or haltman@tampatrib.com.

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