A Florida couple allegedly left a juvenile on the side of Interstate 75 in North Port with bags containing guns, ammunition, and cash, before telling him to “take care of the house” and driving away, according to police.
Bradley Leon Guerrero Santos, 36, and Roseanella Mendola Borja, 35, are both charged with child neglect. Santos also faces a charge of allowing a minor unlawful possession of a firearm.
Police began investigating around 6 p.m. on Oct. 1 after receiving multiple 911 calls about a boy walking along the shoulder of the interstate. When officers arrived, they found the juvenile, who was initially hesitant to explain his situation but later described what happened.
The boy said he came home from school to find the couple frantically packing bags, saying they were leaving for “Guam or Idaho,” destinations they had never mentioned before. The three got into a Toyota 4Runner, but when the boy said he didn’t want to go, the couple pulled over and handed him two bags containing two pistols, ammunition, and some cash. They then told him to “take care of the house” and drove off.
When officers searched the couple’s home, they found it in disarray, appearing as though the family had left abruptly, leaving the house unsecured. Multiple calls to Santos and Borja went unanswered.
Detectives located the pair and their vehicle about four hours later at a home in Wauchula, roughly 60 miles northeast of North Port. Authorities said the couple abandoned the child without means to care for himself or any custody arrangements.
Both suspects are being held at the Sarasota County Jail on $50,000 bond each. Their next court hearing is scheduled for October 31.
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