A Colorado state senate candidate has been arrested after his 4-year-old daughter nearly drowned in a hotel hot tub while he went to the bar.
Republican hopeful Frederick Alfred Jr., 38, was with his son, 6, and daughter, 4, at the four-star Opal Key Resort and Marina in Key West, Florida, when he suddenly left them on Monday night, April 20, the Denver Post reported.
He bought a “Bourbon and Bubbles” drink for $20, and a Levitate cannabis-infused drink for $16, according to an arrest report seen by the outlet.
But, while he was away, cops were called to the hotel at around 7:40 p.m. after receiving reports the girl had almost drowned.
The girl’s brother ended up swallowing water while trying to rescue his drowning sister – before calling on hotel guest to help after spotting his dad was nowhere to be seen.
The girl was “foaming from the mouth” before being given CPR and regaining consciousness.
Alfred told cops he had only been gone for five minutes when he returned to the poolside area with the two drinks.
Investigators said he smelled of alcohol.
He initially blocked paramedics from taking his children to the hospital – before eventually relenting.
Paramedics warned about the “very significant risk that there could be other issues from the incident that would not present themselves until later,” according to the police document.
Monroe County Sheriffs booked him on two counts of felony child neglect, an offense that carries a penalty of up to five years imprisonment in Florida.
Alfred is the only Republican candidate running for election in Colorado’s Senate District 21 seat – currently held by Democratic lawmaker Adrienne Benavidez.
Benavidez assumed the seat after Dafna Michaelson Jenet resigned in February, two years into her four-year term.
Alfred lost out to Jenet by just over two percentage points in November 2024