LAKE WORTH, Texas — Lake Worth police arrested a father on Black Friday after his children were found in a retailer parking lot asking for donations from drivers.
Police said they were called about the children and found a 13-year-old girl, a 6-year-old boy and a 2-month-old together with the oldest asking for money. About 30 minutes later, police said their father, 43-year-old Samuel Marin, arrived and told police he was their father.
A warrant check showed Marin was wanted for money laundering out of Dallas County, police say, and he was arrested. CPS was contacted and took custody of the children.
"Despite the image they hoped to portray, this family was not in need and had large amounts of cash with them," police said in a Facebook post. "Marin used his children to create a sympathetic response from those passing by with the intent to elicit empathetic giving. In other words, he was manipulating members of our community and capitalizing on their heartfelt generosity to pad his own pockets."
It is illegal to solicit in Lake Worth, police said.
