Father left young child at Key Largo resort’s beach while he drank, deputies say
A father was arrested after he left his 5-year-old child alone at a Key Largo resort’s beach while he got drunk at the bar Tuesday afternoon, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.
And, the resort, Gilbert’s Resort Key Largo, posted video of the arrest on its Facebook page, adding that the incident started with the man, Luis Fernando De La Ortiz, 50, becoming angry when the business’ ATM declined his cash-withdrawal attempt.
The sheriff’s office said Gilbert’s staff called deputies around 3:30 p.m. about an intoxicated man yelling at them and causing a scene after management cut him off from ordering more drinks when they realized the child was left alone on the beach.
Beach staff watched the child for hours, said sheriff’s office spokesman Adam Linhardt.
Ortiz “became belligerent” and threatened to harm employees with a gun, adding deputies did not locate a firearm. Deputies also said Ortiz continued yelling at employees and grabbed one staff member.
He then boarded a boat docked at the resort with the child, Linhardt said.
“Employees feared the child and others would be hurt if Ortiz operated the vessel,” Linhardt said.
When deputies got there, Ortiz continued yelling at staff. He refused to calm down, and, when deputies tried to cuff him, he refused to put his hands behind his back and resisted being placed in the back of a patrol car, Linhardt said.
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Deputies contacted a family member, who picked up the child. The sheriff’s office also notified the Florida Department of Children and Families about the incident, Linhardt said.
Gilbert’s management wrote in a post on its Facebook page that staff noticed Ortiz was intoxicated when he became angry about being unable to withdraw cash from the ATM. Bar staff refused to serve him more alcohol, and he caused more of a scene, according to the post, saying, “The guy who owns this is my family,” the post reads.
“Small detail. ... The owner is a woman. So not only is he wrong — he’s confidently wrong.”
Ortiz was booked into a county jail on Plantation Key in the Upper Keys. On Wednesday, he was waiting for a judge to set bond on charges of child neglect, disorderly intoxication, battery and assault.
Information on his legal representation was not immediately available.
