Florida man accused of leaving 5-year-old at resort beach while he got drunk at bar, sheriff's office says

A Florida man was arrested Tuesday after investigators say he left a 5-year-old child unattended at a Florida Keys resort beach while he drank at a bar.

Luis Fernando Del Ra Ortiz, 50, of Key Largo, was arrested and charged with child neglect, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest, battery, and assault, according to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Investigators say they were called to Gilbert's Resort on Key Largo around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday about a drunk man with a small child who was yelling and causing a scene after a resort declined to serve him additional alcoholic drinks when it was learned that a child in his care was left at the resort beach and swim area.

Resort employees were forced to care for the child, allegedly for several hours, the sheriff's office said.

When he was found, deputies said Ortiz became belligerent, yelled at employees, threatened to harm them with a gun, and grabbed one of the resort employees.

Initial reports indicate that Ortiz did not brandish a gun during the incident, the sheriff's office said.

At one point during the confrontation, the sheriff's office said that Ortiz boarded a docked boat with the child, and employees were concerned that the child and others would be injured if Ortiz operated the boat.

The sheriff's office said that Ortiz admitted to being drunk and continued to yell at resort employees while he was speaking to the sheriff's office.

They said he refused to calm down, would not place his hands behind his back and resisted being put into the patrol car. He was eventually taken to jail, and a family member was contacted and picked up the child.

The Florida Department of Children and Families was also notified.