07-11-2011, 03:21 PM
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- A judge denied a father custody of his 18-month-old son on Monday after deputies said the boy was found drinking from beer bottles alone in the front yard.
Elvin Garcia was brought into court cuffed and shackled to find out what would happen to his son.
The child was ordered into foster care at the hearing on Monday after he was found drinking from beer bottles over the weekend outside of his house, located off Atlantis Drive in Apopka.
Garcia was arrested on child neglect charges on Saturday night, after a neighbor called 911 to report seeing the toddler wandering in the yard, and drinking from beer bottles.
“There were bottles around the front porch and he was just picking them up, drinking out of them,” said eyewitness Debbie Robinson.
Garcia was allegedly passed out inside.
“They could see him in the trailer there with his legs hanging out the door... just passed out I guess,” said Robinson.
Deputies said they arrived to find an unlivable home. The Department of Children and Families described Garcia's home as "deplorable." Investigators said the boy was living in such bad conditions they were only able to salvage one shirt, a pair of shoes and some diapers from the belongings at the home.
A spokeswoman said investigators are working to figure out how things got so bad at the home.
Neighbors said this isn't the first time the baby has been left to wander around, and they said they hope something is done to make sure the child doesn't get hurt.
“I think it's terrible. Something should be done about it and it doesn't matter who it is. If they can't take care of their child, they should have their child taken up,” said neighbor Marge McGregor.
The child's mother is in a mental hospital in Jacksonville, and Garcia told the judge he has no other nearby relatives to care for the toddler.
![[Image: 28510151_320X180.jpg]](http://www.wftv.com/2011/0711/28510151_320X180.jpg)
Elvin Garcia was brought into court cuffed and shackled to find out what would happen to his son.
The child was ordered into foster care at the hearing on Monday after he was found drinking from beer bottles over the weekend outside of his house, located off Atlantis Drive in Apopka.
Garcia was arrested on child neglect charges on Saturday night, after a neighbor called 911 to report seeing the toddler wandering in the yard, and drinking from beer bottles.
“There were bottles around the front porch and he was just picking them up, drinking out of them,” said eyewitness Debbie Robinson.
Garcia was allegedly passed out inside.
“They could see him in the trailer there with his legs hanging out the door... just passed out I guess,” said Robinson.
Deputies said they arrived to find an unlivable home. The Department of Children and Families described Garcia's home as "deplorable." Investigators said the boy was living in such bad conditions they were only able to salvage one shirt, a pair of shoes and some diapers from the belongings at the home.
A spokeswoman said investigators are working to figure out how things got so bad at the home.
Neighbors said this isn't the first time the baby has been left to wander around, and they said they hope something is done to make sure the child doesn't get hurt.
“I think it's terrible. Something should be done about it and it doesn't matter who it is. If they can't take care of their child, they should have their child taken up,” said neighbor Marge McGregor.
The child's mother is in a mental hospital in Jacksonville, and Garcia told the judge he has no other nearby relatives to care for the toddler.