Florida Couple Ditched Boy on Highway With Bags of Guns and Cash, Told Him to ‘Take Care of the House’ Before Driving Away, Police Say
NORTH PORT, FLORIDA — A Florida couple allegedly abandoned a young boy on the side of Interstate 75 with bags of guns, ammunition, and cash, telling him to “take care of the house” before driving off, according to police.
Authorities say Bradley Leon Guerrero Santos, 36, and Roseanella Mendola Borja, 35, are facing child neglect charges, while Santos is also charged with allowing a minor to unlawfully possess a firearm.
Boy Found Walking Alone on Highway
According to the North Port Police Department, officers responded around 6 p.m. on October 1 after receiving 911 calls about a young male walking alone along the shoulder of Interstate 75.
When officers arrived, the boy — whose age and relationship to the suspects were redacted from the affidavit — appeared nervous and reluctant to speak.
Eventually, he told police a disturbing story: that earlier that day, when he returned home from school, Santos and Borja were frantically packing their bags, telling him they were leaving for “Guam or Idaho” — places they had never mentioned before.
‘Take Care of the House’
The boy said he refused to go with them, which led the couple to pull over on the side of the highway. There, they handed him two bags containing two pistols, ammunition, and some cash, before driving away in a Toyota 4Runner.
“They told him to ‘take care of the house’ before leaving him on the side of the road,” police wrote in the affidavit.
The boy told investigators he thought the couple might be testing his mental strength by abandoning him.
Home Found in Disarray
When officers went to the suspects’ residence, they found the home “wide open and in disarray,” as if the family had left in a hurry.
Police said there were no prior custody arrangements for the child, and the couple made no effort to contact authorities or family members about his welfare.
Detectives tracked Santos and Borja to a home in Wauchula, roughly 60 miles northeast of North Port, where they were arrested about four hours later.
The affidavit does not state why the couple was attempting to flee or what prompted their erratic behavior.
Facing Felony Charges
Santos and Borja were both booked into the Sarasota County Jail on $50,000 bond each.
Their next court date is scheduled for October 31, according to jail records.
Police say the child is now safe and in protective custody, while detectives continue investigating the motive behind the attempted flight.
This bizarre case has stunned Florida authorities, who described it as one of the most reckless cases of child endangerment they’ve seen this year. For more developing updates on national crime and public safety stories, visit ChicagoMusicGuide.com.