Florida man charged with neglect confesses to withholding food from child as punishment

A Florida man responsible for the care of a young boy has been charged with child neglect after deputies with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) located the boy on April 19 in the man’s home in Shalimar, Florida.  The child told the deputies that the man responsible for his care, “was not caring for or feeding him.”

The desperate and neglected child had reportedly contacted his mother, who lives in South Florida.   The mom then contacted the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.

When deputies arrived at the man’s condo located at 101 Old Ferry Road in Shalimar, the juvenile victim said he was hungry and had not eaten since the day before. He reported that 64-year old Valerio De Guevara had left the premises and told him “he did not deserve to eat”.

Deputies say the home was in disorder with animal urine and feces on the floor, there was no edible food in the cabinets, and the victim had numerous flea bites on his legs.

De Guevara told deputies he withheld food from the victim as a form of punishment. Officials did not share the exact relationship between De Guevara and the child under his care.

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Source: Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today
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