WATERLOO - Police in Waterloo and the Meskwaki Nation settlement have detained a Waterloo couple after a car was allegedly stolen from a casino and children were left alone in their home.

The husband, Christoffer Jorgen Goffinet, 27, of 3550 Kingswood Place, was arrested at his home Wednesday morning for misdemeanor child endangerment.

The wife, Ruth Elizabeth Goffinet, 38, was detained by Meskwaki police in Tama in connection with an automobile theft investigation, according to Waterloo police.

It wasn't clear if she was charged.

The incident started when the wife went to the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel in Tama.

When she left, she allegedly got in another person's Chevrolet Impala that was parked next to her sport utility vehicle, said Capt. John Beckman with the Waterloo Police Department.

The Impala was apparently left running and unlocked, he said.

She drove the Impala back to her Waterloo home and left it there, police said. Then, her husband drove her back to the casino.

Meskwaki police were waiting for them and detained the wife and phoned Waterloo police to look for the Impala at her home.

Officers found car and noticed the house was unlocked and in disarray, according to court records.

Upstairs, they found two boys, ages 8 and 10, asleep.

The children were extremely frightened and unaware their parents had left them, court records state.

The husband was arrested when he returned to Waterloo.

Contact Jeff Reinitz at (319) 291-1578 or jeff.reinitz@wcfcourier.com.