An early-morning traffic stop near S. Goldenrod Road and Hoffner Avenue in Orlando led police to a hidden firearm tucked beneath the car seat of an 11-month-old child. Officers made the stop at approximately 1:05 a.m. on October 1, and what they say they found afterward has drawn attention to just how close the infant was to a loaded weapon.
According to Orlando Police
, officers developed probable cause to search the vehicle during the stop. Inside, they say they discovered a black FN Herstal P90 firearm wrapped in a towel on the floorboard, positioned directly beneath the car seat where the 11-month-old was riding.
Police identified the person arrested as Angel Cruz Garcia, 19. He was charged with possession of a concealed firearm or weapon by a juvenile delinquent, along with possession of cannabis weighing less than 20 grams, per the same police account.
What Florida Law Says About Concealed Firearms
Florida's firearm laws set firm boundaries on who may carry or conceal a weapon. Under Chapter 790, Section 23 of the Florida Statutes, it is unlawful for a person to own or have care, custody, possession or control of a firearm, ammunition, or electric weapon or device, or to carry a concealed firearm or weapon, as laid out by the Florida Senate. How that statute applies to Cruz Garcia's specific case was not addressed in the available police account.
A separate provision, Section 790.22, addresses firearm offenses involving minors. That statute specifies that if a minor is found to have committed an offense involving the use or possession of a firearm and is not committed to a residential commitment program, the court shall order additional action, according to the Florida Senate.
Details Still Unclear
Orlando police have not released a booking record, charging document, or court docket detailing the case's progress. The department's account also did not identify who was driving the vehicle, the identity of the infant, or how the people in the car were related to one another. The specific basis police used to establish probable cause for the search was likewise not disclosed.
It also remains unknown whether the P90 was loaded with ammunition, whether it was operable, or who owned the weapon. Orlando police have directed anyone with information about crime in the area to contact them at 321-235-5300 or to call 911 in an emergency.
