Osceola County Sheriff's Office detectives have arrested and charged a Winter Springs man with first-degree murder stemming from a 2001 case involving the death of a young boy.

Luis Gerardo Rosario, 35, was charged for the death of 4-year-old Andres Sanchez, which occurred April 16, 2001. Rosario and the child's mother were living together at the time.

The original investigation began in 2001 when deputies responded to 1075 Hali Ridge Court in reference to an unresponsive child. When deputies arrived, Rosario told them that earlier that day he had taken Andres to swim at a friend's house in Winter Springs. He said Andres had swallowed some water and had vomited, but seemed fine. Rosario said when they returned home later, Andres fell out of the car and struck his face on the pavement. Rosario also told deputies Andres had gone to bed shortly after arriving home and that he had checked on him about 1:55 a.m., and had found him unresponsive. The boy's mother then called 911, Sheriff's Office reports said.

Andres died shortly after being transported to Florida Hospital Celebration Health. Approximately 10 months later, Andres' death was ruled a homicide and the Orange-Osceola County Medical Examiner's Office reported that the cause of death was suffocation.

Rosario was a suspect because he was the only person with the child when the incident occurred, but there was not enough evidence to charge him, authorities said. Since 2001, Rosario has been arrested for numerous drug and violent felony offenses.

Sheriff's Office detectives reopened the investigation in August of 2008 during a periodic review of cold cases. In September, detectives met with the medical examiner, who reviewed the case and provided additional information. In October, detectives located and interviewed witnesses living near the child's residence when the incident occurred and they also spoke with Andres' mother, who provided leads for the detectives.

Detectives learned Rosario was housed at the Florida State Hospital in Chattahoochee. He was ruled incompetent to proceed with previous carjacking, robbery with a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession with a firearm by a convicted felon charges stemming from an Orange County case. The case remained active and in April, Rosario was indicted by a grand jury for first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse. The State Attorney's Office requested the indictment remain sealed.

In July, detectives learned Rosario was incarcerated in the Orange County Jail and was found competent to stand trial on the Orange County charges.

On July 15, Osceola County Sheriff's Office detectives contacted Rosario, who refused to cooperate with the investigation. He was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse and booked into the Osceola County Jail.