Dad found guilty of of 2nd-degree child abuse for leaving kids in car while dad went to bar (Jackson County, Michigan)

Dad RICHARD LABO is the guilty guzzler this time.

Notice there is mention of a girlfriend, but not of the mother of these children. Is she dead, alive? If alive, why is guzzler daddy out in the middle of the night running around bars with two kids under the age of six? Does he have visitation or custody? If so, why? And why doesn't the media clarify this point? Don't want to embarrass a judge?

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://www.mlive.com/news/jackson/index.ssf/2010/09/father_accused_of_leaving_kids.html

Father accused of leaving kids in car while drinking testifies at trial; jury begins deliberation
Published: Monday, September 20, 2010, 1:52 PM
Updated: Monday, September 20, 2010, 5:34 PM
Danielle Quisenberry

Jackson County jury finds man guilty of second-degree child abuse for leaving his two sons, ages 4 and 6, in the car while he drank inside a bar

The trial of a 28-year-old accused of child abuse for leaving his sons in a vehicle while he drank in a bar comes down to whether Richard LaBo knowingly “did an act likely to cause serious injury.”

Assistant Prosecutor Jerard Jarzynka argued LaBo’s actions had a high probability of causing harm to his sons. They could have been abducted or escaped the vehicle and run into the road, he argued this afternoon.

LaBo’s lawyer, Christopher Dickerson, said that sort of outcome was not “almost certain.” The children could have been seriously injured, but this was not a likelihood, he told a jury during his closing statements.

Dickerson argued if LaBo was guilty of any crime, he was guilty of fourth-degree child abuse. This requires a possibility of harm, not a probability of serious harm, which must be established to prove second-degree child abuse, a greater charge.

LaBo is charged with second-degree child abuse, a felony punishable by a maximum of four years in prison.

Both sides rested their cases this afternoon and the jury is to begin deliberations.
The trial started a week ago, but was delayed because Dickerson was ill. It began again this morning.

LaBo is accused of leaving his 6- and 4-year-old sons in a vehicle about midnight outside Gypsey’s, a bar inside AMF Summit Lanes, 1256 E. McDevitt Ave. He was arrested early April 4.

He testified today that he started drinking at lunch time on April 3 at a restaurant in Quincy with his brother and the boys.

They all later went to Albion to visit a girlfriend of LaBo, where LaBo drank more.

After a couple hours, they decided to bowl at Airport Lanes in Blackman Township.

There, LaBo and his brother shared two pitchers of beer, LaBo testified. They bowled about five games. The children at first participated, but lost interest or struggled with the game and instead ran around and ate candy, he said.

The group left there after some hours; LaBo could not say when. They were going to go home to Quincy, but opted to go to one of LaBo’s friend’s home in Concord, LaBo said.

He said they stopped to buy "tall boys," or large containers of beer and then went to Summit Lanes to ask for directions. Both the adults went inside. LaBo said his brother started dancing, he figured it would be a while and he ordered a beer. He said he was there about 20 minutes before the police came at about 12:30 a.m.

When questioned, he could not explain what they did for the hours between leaving Airport Lanes and going to Summit Lanes.