Man who left kids alone suspected of passing funny money

The father who apparently left his four small children home alone in St. Paul this week was at Mystic Lake Casino on the day that authorities found the kids unattended in the family's Frogtown-area duplex.

Richard Her, 27, was arrested at the casino Monday on suspicion of passing counterfeit money, according to Prior Lake police.

Though it was unclear Thursday precisely when Her was arrested, Prior Lake police Lt. Randy Hofstad said the casino notified police of the attempt to pass bogus currency about 5 a.m. Monday, or about eight hours before the kids were discovered by a Ramsey County sheriff's deputy.

When the children were found alone, authorities said, Her was being booked into the Scott County jail. He since has been released, and has yet to be charged in the casino case, which is under review, a county attorney's office spokeswoman said.

Because charges have yet to be filed, Scott County authorities have offered few details about the alleged casino offense.

In St. Paul, police were continuing their investigation into possible child-neglect charges against Her.

Asked about Monday's arrest, police spokesman Tom Walsh said, "I don't think you need a comment from me." Noting where the absent dad apparently had been, he said: "I think that's indictment enough."

On Monday, the sheriff's deputy discovered the four children, ages 6 and under, at the duplex alone when the deputy went to serve papers on the parents regarding school-truancy issues involving their 6-year-old son, court documents show.

The mother arrived at the home soon afterward, but the children were placed in protective custody and remain at a foster home, Walsh said.

The children indicated then that they may have been alone for nearly a day and a half, or since about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, Walsh said. He added it is believed that the couple have separated.

At the duplex, in the 600 block of Thomas Avenue, the father's name is on the mailbox, as are the couple's children's, but the mother's name is not. No one answered the door during visits to the residence Wednesday and Thursday. A tenant on the second floor of the duplex said Wednesday that her family did not know the elder Her.

A Her family member living outside Minnesota declined to comment Thursday.

On three occasions in the current and previous school years, the document states, meetings were scheduled to try to resolve the truancy issue, and the parents failed to show up.

According to the court petition, the county attorney's office has requested that the child be placed under the protective supervision of the Human Services Department, but that he continue to live in the Thomas Avenue home.

The petition was filed Dec. 24 -- a week before the deputy found the kids home alone.