West Palm Beach police responded to a residential disturbance on November 8 after neighbors reported an assault. Officers found a 45‑year‑old homeowner with a swollen, blackened eye and blood streaming from his face.
Background
The victim had been providing shelter to 37‑year‑old Maria Louise Del Rosario, who had been staying with him for about three years. Del Rosario kept a collection of pet snakes, which the homeowner tolerated.
Escaped snakes trigger confrontation
According to investigators, the snakes somehow slipped from their enclosures and roamed the house. The homeowner grew angry as the reptiles moved through his living space. Del Rosario allegedly confronted him, and when he tried to back away, she struck him across the face with a blunt object that the victim described as feeling like a solid brick.
Aftermath
Dazed and bleeding, the homeowner staggered outside to the driveway, where he collapsed. Security cameras captured Del Rosario standing over him, hurling curses, and then crushing his cellphone under her heel.
Detectives later showed Del Rosario the footage, after which she surrendered, saying, “Just put me in the car.”
Legal response
Del Rosario was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on felony charges of aggravated battery causing bodily harm and criminal mischief. She remains detained on an $8,000 bond, awaiting a court date set for December 1.
The case underscores the importance of responsible pet ownership and the potential dangers of unrestrained animals in shared homes.
Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.
