Dad accused of leaving baby daughter in car while he vandalized other vehicles; "not clear" who has custody (Raleigh, North Carolina)

So dad DANIEL MULLIGAN takes his 22-month-old daughter to a bar, then leaves her in the vehicle while he vandalizes two other vehicles. Then he drives the baby "home." And we're told that it's "not clear from court documents who has custody of the child."

Why is it not clear? Where is this child's mother? Why wasn't this baby home with Mama instead of out carousing with Daddy? And if she's not with Mama now, why not? Is this father custodial? Why won't the media clearly identify this as custodial father if he is?

This is another one of those news articles that raises more questions than it answers.

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/16/684590/dad-accused-of-leaving-tot-in.html

Raleigh dad accused of leaving tot in car while vandalizing

A Raleigh father is in jail today after police said he took his baby girl to a bar, then left the tot in a vehicle for more than half an hour while he vandalized two cars.

Daniel Mulligan, 37, of 5415 Shaker Heights Lane, is facing one count of misdemeanor child abuse and one count of tampering with a vehicle, according to a Wake County Magistrate's Order.

Mulligan is accused of drinking at an unnamed bar on Wednesday with his 22-month-old baby in tow before driving to an undisclosed location where he let the air out of the tires of two cars, then driving the baby home, the documents state.

Police said in the documents that Mulligan left the baby in his vehicle for 30 to 40 minutes while letting the air out of the eight tires, creating "a substantial risk of physical injury upon that child by other than accidental means."

Mulligan is in custody in the Wake County jail in lieu of $3,000 bail. It was not clear from court documents who has custody of the child.

Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/09/16/684590/dad-accused-of-leaving-tot-in.html#ixzz0zi7IY6gU