Baby allegedly left during strip club visit taken into care

A baby boy who was allegedly left in a car unattended while his father watched strippers at a Wellington bar in the early hours of the morning has been taken into the care of Child, Youth and Family.

A passerby noticed the child about 3am yesterday and called police.

The baby was taken to hospital and the 42-year-old father was arrested a short time later, after he was allegedly discovered in the strip club.

Police said the man was initially charged on an outstanding arrest warrant, but would face a further charge of leaving a child under 14 without reasonable supervision.

CYF deputy chief executive Ray Smith told The Dominion Post he was appalled that a father could leave a young baby in the middle of the night to watch strippers at a club.

CYF would work closely with police and the baby's family to decide on the child's future, he said.

Children's Commissioner John Angus said leaving a child unattended in a car at night was an extreme form of neglect.

"This is not good enough for our grandchild or niece or nephew," he told the newspaper.

- NZPA