KEY LARGO, Fla. — Deputies in the Florida Keys arrested a man who they say allegedly left a 5-year-old unattended while getting drunk at a resort bar.
Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies took Luis Fernando De Ra Ortiz, 50, of Key Largo, into custody on Tuesday.
According to deputies, they responded to Gilbert’s Resort and Marina located at 107900 Overseas Highway at around 3:30 p.m. after receiving reports of an drunken man with a small child.
Deputies said Ortiz was “causing a scene after the resort declined to service him additional alcoholic drinks” due to staff learning the 5-year-old in his care “was left at the resort beach and swim area, forcing resort employees to care for the child” for an extended period of time that was reported to be several hours.
Resort staff told authorities that when they located Ortiz, he became belligerent, threatening to harm employees with a gun while yelling at them, at one point grabbing one worker, according to MCSO.
Workers also told deputies that Ortiz took the child and boarded a docked boat, causing staff to fear for the safety of the child and others if Ortiz started driving the boat.
When responding deputies spoke with Ortiz, they said he admitted to being drunk while continuing to yell at resort staff and that he “refused to calm down, refused to place his hands behind his back, and resisted being placed into a patrol car.”
Jail records show Ortiz is facing several charges, including misdemeanors for disorderly intoxication in a public place while causing a disturbance, assault, resisting an officer without violence and battery, as well as a felony charge for child neglect without great bodily harm.
His bond information has not been released at this time.
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