Second person arrested in Keys kidnapping investigation
MIAMI - A second person has been charged after a woman took another woman's child from a Marathon hotel.
The child's mother called the Monroe Co. sheriff's office Wednesday morning around 8:30 a.m. and said that her co-worker, 49-year-old Zita Gasperik, took her child without her permission from the Fairfield Inn & Suites where they both work.
Shortly thereafter, deputies stopped Gasperik on U.S. 1.
Jan Hans Gasperik, 49, was driving a vehicle and Zita Gasperik was in the passenger seat with a 16-month-old baby in her lap.
The child was not in a car seat at the time when Hurricane Ian was making its way past Monroe County, creating more dangerous than normal driving conditions. The child was not harmed.
Zita Gasperik was arrested on charges of child neglect and kidnapping. The following day, Jan Gasperik was arrested on the same charges.
The mother stated Zita Gasperik had been stating how cute the baby was prior to leaving with the child. Zita Gasperik also reportedly stated, "this baby is mine today."
Zita Gasperik took the child to a breakfast room, but when the mother went to get her child back, she discovered Gasperik left the property with the child.