Father Accused Of Leaving 3 Kids In Hotel Room With Loaded Rifle

Correction: The New Port Richey Police Department investigated this case.

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL — A 40-year-old father has been accused of leaving his three children in a New Port Richey hotel room with a loaded AR-15 rifle.

Michael Charles Shacklee of Terre Haute, Indiana, was charged with child neglect Sunday after New Port Richey police said he left his children at the Rodeway Inn, 6825 U.S. 19 in New Port Richey, while he went out drinking.

Motel staff called 911 after hearing Shacklee and a woman arguing about a firearm left in a room on the first floor.

The woman said she received a text from Shacklee, who said he was drunk and needed to be picked up, police said.

Police said another guest had been in Shacklee’s room to drink beer earlier in the night. When he went back to his room, one of Shacklee’s children knocked on the guest's door and asked where their father was.

Police said they found Shacklee outside the hotel passed out drunk in the driver’s seat of his car.

Shacklee told police he had six beers and was smoking marijuana. He couldn’t remember which room he was staying in, even though it was only 25 feet away, police said.

In Shacklee’s room, police said they found a 9 mm New Frontier Armory AR-15 rifle lying on top of an Army duffel bag. The magazine was loaded with 9 mm rounds, and the weapon was unsecured and easy to access, police said.

The children have been placed in the custody of a relative.

Shacklee was booked into the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center and released on $2,000 bond.