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Couple accused of abandoning teen on I-75
Kylie Jones reports.
NORTH PORT, Fla. - A Florida man and woman are facing charges after allegedly leaving a teen along I-75 with a couple of guns and some cash in a bag after they frantically packed up and set off for Guam or Idaho.
What we know:
A North Port police officer was sent to I-75 near the Sumter Blvd. exit to investigate a 911 call about a suspicious male walking along the northbound shoulder of the highway.
Documents show that when the officer asked what he was doing, the 16-year-old said he had been in a vehicle with Bradley Leon Guerrero Santos and Rosanella Mendiola Borja on their way to either Guam or Idaho when he said he didn’t want to go.
That's when, according to affidavits, the driver pulled the vehicle over to the side of the interstate and kicked him out of the SUV along with two bags containing two guns and some cash.
"Quickly into this trip, this journey to wherever, he said he didn't want to go," Taylor said. "And apparently, that was acceptable to these folks to pull over on the side of 75 and let him out. 'Okay, good luck, here's some bags.'"
He was also told to "take care of the house" before the couple drove off.
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The teen explained that they had been acting erratically and were dealing with personal issues.
He went on to say that when he got home from walking his dog after school, Guerrero Santos and Mendiola Borja were frantically throwing clothes into two duffel bags and ushered him and an 8-year-old sibling into the vehicle.
"He had no notice," Taylor said. "His family was all of a sudden in a panic and said they were leaving. They were either going to Idaho or Guam."
Dig deeper:
The 16-year-old told police that Guerrero Santos is very religious, called him the "chosen one" and often tests his mental fortitude by giving him difficult tasks like this one.
Courtesy: Sarasota County Sheriff's Office
The officer stated that the teen had a cellphone that had died, so he had no means of communication.
When that officer tried to call Guerrero Santos and Mendiola Borja, he was unable to reach them.
Documents show the officer took the 16-year-old to his home and found the garage door and front door wide open.
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The home was in disarray with guns lying out in the open, according to an arrest affidavit.
"There's just elements that just frankly don't make sense," Taylor said. "I mean, you're going to leave your home, spur of the moment. You're going to leave all the doors wide open. You're going to leave items of value wide open in the home."
Guerrero Santos’ cellphone was eventually traced to a parking lot in Wauchula, where the couple and another child were found inside about four and a half hours after the juvenile was kicked out of the vehicle on the interstate.
Guerrero Santos was charged with child neglect without great harm and permitting a minor to possess a firearm. Mendiola Borja was charged with child neglect without great harm. Both were each given a $500,000 bond.
"At the end of the day, we just want to make sure that the children are okay," Taylor said.
What we don't know:
It is unclear what the relationship is between the teen, Guerrero Santos and Mendiola Borja.
The Source: This story was written with information provided in arrest affidavits.