ORANGE PARK Fla.-- A baby offered up as barter for food at the Rodeway Inn Motel Saturday night is now safe and sound under the care of DCF. Local parents are breathing a sigh of relief.
"Being a mother it makes me really feel happy that the baby was found and not harmed," said Orange Park mom Dorothy Stratton.
Police found the three month old with his mother at another motel on the Westside, the Hospitality Inn. 32-year-old Jaime Rathje was arrested for unrelated charges Monday night.
"She had an outstanding warrant for failure to appear on a traffic offense so she was taken into custody for that warrant," said Detective Garry Briggs with Orange Park Police.
Crimestopper tips paved the way to finding Rathje. but what about the man caught on camera accused of trying to trade her infant? Police won't reveal his relationship to the mother or baby. He has been identified and questioned, but he remains a free man.
"No charges have been filed, we don't want to release his name," said Detective Briggs.
It's a frustrating fate for local mothers.
"I think they should be punished for the child's sake because we all have kids and you never know," said Bernistine Carswell, another local mom.
Police are presenting this case to the State Attorney's office to see if any charges will be filed.
