Key Largo man arrested after leaving child alone at resort beach, deputies say

A 5-year-old was left unattended on the beach and swim area at Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo while his father drank at the bar, turning a tourist afternoon into a child-safety response that drew resort employees and Monroe County deputies, officials said.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Luis Fernando Del Ra Ortiz, 50, of Key Largo, after the incident Tuesday at the waterfront property. Investigators said they were called to the resort around 3:30 p.m. about a drunk man with a small child who was yelling and causing a scene. By then, resort staff had already stepped in to care for the child after learning the boy had been left alone for several hours.

According to the reports, the resort declined to serve Ortiz more alcohol once employees realized the child had been left at the beach and swim area. Deputies said Ortiz became belligerent, yelled at employees and threatened to harm them with a gun. Investigators said initial reports indicated he did not actually brandish a gun during the confrontation.

Deputies also said Ortiz grabbed one resort employee and later boarded a docked boat with the child, adding another layer of danger to an already volatile scene. A family member later picked up the child, and the Florida Department of Children and Families was notified.

The reported charges include child neglect, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest, battery and assault. In Florida, child neglect can include failing to provide the supervision a child needs for physical and mental health, which is why leaving a 5-year-old alone at a resort beach while intoxicated can quickly become a criminal case, not just a poor decision. State child-protection law places abuse and neglect reports with DCF, while law enforcement handles the criminal investigation.

The case stands out in a place like Key Largo, where resort beaches, family visitors and alcohol service often mix in close quarters. Here, the burden of protection fell first on resort employees, then on deputies, and the episode ended with an arrest rather than a warning.