A 62 year old Buckeye grandfather was arrested this morning after determining that he left his five year old grand-daughter alone in the desert with a loaded 45 caliber handgun that had been cocked into a ready to fire position, according to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Arpaio says Paul Rater, age 62, of 12003 South Dean Road, Buckeye, Arizona left home last night with the five year old in his Dodge 3500 pickup. Four hours later, the girl was reported missing to the Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff’s helicopter, FOX 1, was called out to search the area of Rainbow valley for signs of the missing girl and the vehicle when a second call came in from the family saying the little girl had been located, all alone, in the desert with the loaded handgun.
With the help of family members, Sheriff’s deputies soon after located Rater at a local store off Miller Road where when questioned, admitted to leaving the little girl in the desert, with the gun, while he went for a few drinks and a cheeseburger.
Arpaio says his deputies arrested and booked Rater into the Fourth Avenue Jail on two (2) count of child abuse and one count of child endangerment. The child, Arpaio says, was returned to her mother and the Department of Child Safety was notified.