Rodgers

Montalvo

By Fallan Patterson

A mother and her boyfriend were arrested early this morning by Kissimmee police officers for child neglect after the boyfriend allegedly abandoned a two-year-old girl in front of a closed retail store.

Officers responded to Ross Dress for Less, 3819 W. Vine St., at approximately 2:42 a.m. after the little girl was found sleeping alone on the sidewalk in front of the store by a store employee.

According to the police report, the girl’s pink shirt, jeans and black sneakers were soaking wet and she barely moved when the officer tried to wake her and picked her up. The girl could have been abandoned for up to an hour, according to the police report.

Officers recognized the child from a criminal mischief call at 8:30 p.m. that occurred at the Motel 9, 321 E. Vine St., where Jerry Montalvo allegedly threw a chair through the room’s front window during a Xanax-induced paranoia.

Earlier that evening the child was in the care of her mother, Stacia Rogers, 20, and Roger’s boyfriend, Montalvo, 28.  Neither adult was with the child when she located several hours later in front of the store alone, police said.

A witness told police she had seen the child walking in front of the store with a white adult male who was not wearing a shirt.  About thirty minutes later, the witness observed the little girl lying on the ground alone and called police.

While canvassing the area, officers located Montalvo in front of the Family Dollar located at 4002 West Vine Street.  He appeared to be disoriented and under the influence of drugs, according to police.

Additional officers located Rogers at the Budgetel, 4104 West Vine Street, in room 242, where, according to the police report, Rogers never asked about her daughter’s well-being and seemed more interested on the location of the room’s spare key because she was locked out of the room.

The child, Rogers and Montalvo were transported to the Kissimmee Police Department.  The Florida Department of Children and Families was called to take custody of the child.

Police determined Montalvo failed to provide the adequate level of care, supervision and services necessary to maintain the two-year-old child and abandoned her.

Additionally, it was determined that Rogers was aware that Montalvo was under the influence of drugs and allowed him to take her daughter, therefore threatening the child’s well-being.

Both Montalvo and Rogers were charged with child neglect and were transported to the Osceola County Jail where they are each being held on $1,000 bond.