Fort Meyers FL Dec 10 2013 As head of security for Lookers, a Fort Myers strip club, Anthony Annazone said he usually deals with drunk or unruly patrons.
That’s what he was doing in the parking lot about 11 p.m. Friday when another security guard noticed something strange.
“He said ‘Hey, there’s a baby in the car,’ and the guard checked and there was,” Annazone said.
Fort Myers police arrested the car’s owner, Andrew Sosa, 22, of the 2900 block of Cape Coral after finding him inside the strip club. He faces charges of child neglect, according to reports. The Florida Department of Children and Families confirmed the infant is Sosa’s daughter.
“I’ve been around here for probably 11, 12 years and I’ve never seen anything like that,” Annazone said.
When they saw the baby, Annazone said, employees flagged down police officers who were at a 7-Eleven nearby. The officers broke into a car window and freed the 4-month-old who was choking her on own vomit and a safety harness she was wearing. She was also sweating profusely, reports stated. She cried when officers picked her up, according to reports, but then calmed down.
“When she got out she was smiling and all right,” Annazone said.
Officers had Lookers staff help to identify Sosa.
“We announced it over the speakers that a black Kia had its lights on,” Annazone said.
Sosa walked out of the club after the announcement but walked back inside when he saw police, reports stated.
“The DJ told me that after the guy came out he said ‘Oh no, I have a black Audi. I wasn’t sure what you guys said,’ and they thought that was suspicious,” Annazone said.
Officers arrested Sosa, who is shown in security footage entering the club at around 7:45 p.m., three hours before officers freed the infant.
“He was in the back corner of the bar sitting in one of the tables but he was just there like everybody else,” Annazone said. “He was there by himself.”
The child was taken to HealthPark Medical Center in Fort Myers, treated for mild dehydration and released. A case worker from the Florida Department of Children and Families has been assigned. Communications Director Alexis Lambert said the case is open and being investigated.
Sosa is being held at Lee County Jail on $100,000 bond. The car was a rental.
“I know we were lucky our guard happened to be walking around and flashed his lights,” Annazone said.