Photo: Neustockimages / E+ / Getty Images
A Florida couple, Bradley Leon Guerrero Santos, 36, and Rosanella Mendiola Borja, 35, are facing child neglect charges after allegedly abandoning their 16-year-old son on the side of Interstate 75 with a bag containing guns and cash. The incident occurred on October 1, near North Port, Florida, when police received a 911 call about a suspicious male walking along the highway.
The teen was traveling with his parents and an eight-year-old sibling when he expressed his unwillingness to continue the trip to either Guam or Idaho. In response, the parents allegedly pulled over, handed him two bags containing a .40 caliber handgun, a 9mm handgun, and cash, and instructed him to "take care of the house" before driving away.
The teen, whose cellphone had died, was left without a means of communication. When police arrived, they took him home, only to find the house in disarray with firearms lying out in the open. The couple was later located in Wauchula, Florida, after police traced their cellphones.
Guerrero Santos and Mendiola Borja were arrested on October 3 and charged with child neglect without great harm. Guerrero Santos also faces charges for permitting a minor to possess a firearm. Both are held on a $500,000 bond and are scheduled for arraignment on October 31.
Neighbors expressed shock at the incident, describing Guerrero Santos as a family-oriented and helpful neighbor. The case has raised concerns about the welfare of the children involved and the circumstances leading to the parents' actions.