Gabrielle Theresa McKay, 26, of no fixed address
UPDATE 8/28/2024: A second individual, Kyya Marie Lee, of no fixed address, has been charged in connection with the incident involving two children left unattended at a hotel in California, Maryland.
Lee is facing a misdemeanor charge of confining an unattended child under Maryland law, similar to the charges against Gabrielle Theresa McKay.
According to court documents, both Lee and McKay allegedly left their children unattended in a hotel room while they were outside behind the hotel, reportedly eating lunch and falling asleep.
A criminal summons was issued for Lee on August 27, 2024, and her preliminary inquiry is scheduled for October 4, 2024, in St. Mary’s District Court
No booking photo of Lee is available because she was charged through a criminal summons.
8/24/2024: Gabrielle Theresa McKay, 26, of no fixed address, is facing charges after allegedly leaving her 2-year-old daughter unattended in a hotel room in California, Maryland. The incident, which took place on June 16, 2024, has led to McKay being charged with confining an unattended child, a misdemeanor offense under Maryland law.
According to court documents, Deputy Michael Rycyzyn of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a young child found unsupervised at a hotel located on Three Notch Road. Upon arrival, Deputy Rycyzyn encountered several witnesses who reported seeing a child, approximately 2 years old wandering alone outside the hotel. The child, who was only wearing a soiled diaper, and appeared to be without any adult supervision.
One witness reported that she had been sitting outside the hotel when she noticed the child coming out of the front door. The witness stated she waited for approximately 20 minutes for an adult to come looking for the child. When no one appeared, she took the child inside the hotel lobby and continued to wait. After about 30 minutes with still no sign of a guardian, the witness called the police.
Another witness confirmed the account and added that she had also waited with the child while trying to locate an adult. A third witness, stated she checked the exterior of the hotel in an attempt to find the child’s family but was unsuccessful.
When Deputy Rycyzyn spoke with McKay, she explained that she and her friend, Kyya Lee, were behind the hotel eating lunch when they fell asleep. McKay claimed that her daughter, was left inside the hotel room with Lee’s 6-year-old son, but neither adult could see the room from their location. McKay admitted that the children were left unattended while she and Lee were outside.
The court documents indicate that McKay and Lee share the hotel room with both children. The details of the incident suggest that the child was left without supervision for nearly an hour before McKay was located.
Gabrielle McKay has been charged with “confine unattended child” under Maryland Family Law section 5-801. This charge is classified as a misdemeanor and carries a potential penalty of up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine of $500 if convicted.
A preliminary inquiry is scheduled for September 27, 2024, at the St. Mary’s District Court. During this hearing, the court will review the charges and determine whether there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
Court records indicate that there are no charges currently pending against Kyya Lee.
