FMPD: Man drops baby as he fled from police

Writer: Jolena Esperto
Published: Updated:
Courtesy Lee County Sheriff’s Office

A man has been arrested after he dropped a baby as he tried to flee a traffic stop in Fort Myers.

Fort Myers Police conducted the stop at Fort Street and Edison Avenue after the driver of a white Hyundai Santa Fe cut off an unmarked police car, on Friday, and it appeared the driver had not fastened his seatbelt.

The driver, Courtney Bailey, was asked to exit the vehicle with a 2-month-old, who was improperly restrained in a car seat.

Police reported that Bailey acted nervous. A K-9 was brought in to search his vehicle and alerted the officers to the presence of narcotics.

During the search, according to FMPD, Bailey dropped the car seat with the infant on the sidewalk and began to flee, but he was quickly detained.

Paramedics responded to ensure the infant was uninjured. The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified.

Officers found two bags of suspected crack cocaine base in a water-filled ditch that Bailey was seen running through.

Bailey was transported to the Lee County Jail on the following charges: resisting an officer without violence, tampering with evidence, possession of cocaine and child neglect.

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