Florida man accused of bringing baby to burglary

TAMPA, Fla. — A Florida man is accused of bringing his 5-month-old son to a home burglary attempt, during which he set the baby down so that he could pull a knife on the homeowner, police said on Tuesday.

Corey Mathews, 22, was arrested on charges including aggregated assault and child neglect for his role in the attempted burglary on Monday evening, according to the St. Petersburg Police Department.

Police said Mathews held his baby in a carseat as he acted as the lookout for another man trying to break into a home. Mathews yelled upon seeing the homeowner, and the other suspect fled.

The homeowner followed Mathews down an alley, where he put the baby on the ground and threatened the owner with a knife, police said in a statement.

Mathews was still carrying the infant when police later apprehended him, the statement said. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

The child is now in the custody of Mathew’s mother, police said.