Category: Denver
GOP candidate lands in handcuffs after pool scare involving alcohol — and his 2 young kids
A Denver-area man running for the Colorado state Senate landed in handcuffs in the Florida Keys earlier this week after his 4-year-old daughter nearly drowned in a hotel pool — while he was allegedly at the bar.
Around 7:34 p.m. on Monday, a 911 call alerted first responders that a child was drowning at a hotel pool.
‘I will work to restore parental rights where government has overstepped.’
A witness told police that a young boy, later identified as the 6-year-old son of Frederick Alfred Jr., came to him because his sister was drowning. The witness claimed that when he saw the girl, later identified as Alfred’s 4-year-old daughter, she “was unconscious and foaming at the mouth,” so he pulled her out of the pool and began CPR, Colorado Politics reported, citing a police report.
Another witness on the scene confirmed this account, police said.
Thankfully, first responders were able to revive the girl. The boy had also reportedly swallowed pool water as he attempted to rescue his sister but otherwise appeared to be unharmed.
At 7:40, Alfred entered the scene, carrying an alcoholic beverage, police claimed. Alfred explained that he left his kids at the hot tub to go grab a drink at the bar and estimated he had been gone about five minutes, police further claimed.
Alfred’s breath reeked of alcohol, and a receipt from the bar showed he had purchased two alcoholic beverages during his time away from his kids, police added.
Pawel Kacperek/Getty Images
Though his kids appeared to be OK, first responders strongly recommended they be taken to the hospital just in case, but Alfred initially refused, reports said. After some more cajoling, Alfred eventually relented, and the children were taken to a local hospital.
At 8 p.m. that night, Alfred was arrested and booked into the Monroe County Detention Center. Jail records state that he has been charged with one count of felony child neglect and that he has an arraignment hearing on May 5.
The Department of Children and Families was notified, CBS News Colorado reported. Whether the children’s mother accompanied the family on this trip is unclear.
Originally from Florida, according to his campaign Facebook account, 38-year-old Alfred currently lives in Commerce City, Colorado, and is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for the District 21 state Senate seat. The primary is scheduled for June 30.
His campaign website lists “parental rights” first among his “legislative priorities.”
“Families not the state should guide their children. I will work to restore parental rights where government has overstepped and ensure schools partner with parents, not replace them,” the website says.
Elsewhere on the website, Alfred describes himself as a husband, a father, and the son of immigrants who wants to protect Colorado kids and parents from Democratic “policies that put government first and families last.”
“I believe in a better path for Senate District 21, one that trusts parents, supports strong energy policies that grow jobs and opportunity, and embraces innovation to secure Colorado’s future,” he adds.
Alfred did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News or from Colorado Politics, Denver7, or CBS News Colorado.
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Large School Systems See Plummeting Foreign-Language Students Thanks To Immigration Enforcement
‘It is the American kids from poorer families, who already face significant obstacles, that are trapped in failing schools that are burdened with the impossible task of addressing the educational needs of large numbers of migrants,’ FAIR’s Ira Mehlman said.
Dad springs into action after crook breaks into his home in middle of night — then heads to where his kids sleep
“Heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs,” Kevin Root recalled to KDVR-TV about a heart-stopping 3:30 a.m. encounter at his family’s Denver home last month. “As a parent, you know your kids’ footsteps, and this was not any of our kids.”
The unsettling noises woke up Kevin and his wife, Sarah, the station said — and Kevin got up to find out where the sounds were coming from.
‘It feels unsettling that something so invasive and violating is permitted to happen and the person is back on the street.’
“We had our door slightly cracked, and I saw the shadow go by, and that just is a sinking feeling,” Sarah added to KDVR.
Turns out an intruder had broken the lock on the Roots’ front door — and now he was on the staircase, the station said.
“As I heard him coming up, I said, ‘Who is this?’ I just yelled, thinking, ‘Let me just let him know, like, we know you’re here. We’re awake,’” Kevin recalled to KDVR.
The Roots told the station the intruder kept silent and was heading to where their children were sleeping.
“As a mom, it’s just your worst nightmare,” Sarah shared with KDVR. “It’s terrifying.”
Neither parent had any idea if the intruder was armed, either, the station said — but Kevin knew there was only one thing to do.
“There comes a moment where you’re like, ‘This is me. I’m a husband and a father; it’s on me to do something,'” he told KDVR.
The station noted that while Sarah called 911 from their bedroom, Kevin got physical: “It was just one of those, like, ‘This is my moment.’ So I jumped out of the bedroom, and I pushed him down the stairs.”
More from KDVR:
He says the man fell all the way to the bottom, knocking some pictures off the wall and leaving a dent in the molding. He took a video as police arrived minutes later while the man laid on the floor.
The man eventually went peacefully into custody; all he took from the home was a fall decoration from the porch.
“We’re just thankful that everyone is OK,” Sarah added to the station.
Charley Cooley, 36, faced a felony second-degree robbery charge, KDVR reported, adding that his record shows he already had been arrested in September for another felony robbery charge in connection with an incident earlier in 2025.
Fox News reported that after his September arrest, Cooley was released just days later.
“We found out later about his criminal background, and that stirred up a whole new layer of emotion,” Sarah added to the cable network. “It feels unsettling that something so invasive and violating is permitted to happen and the person is back on the street.”
But it gets even worse.
The Denver District Attorney’s Office told Fox News that a judge set Cooley’s bond at $5,000 property/surety or $500 cash following the break-in at the Roots’ home.
Sure enough, Cooley posted $500 cash, the cable network said, citing KDVR.
“Multiple offenses, and he’s been released both times,” Kevin shared with Fox News. “The reality is he’s back out and has a history of doing this.”
Sarah added to the cable network that “we hope there’s justice and that he’s placed somewhere that prevents him from hurting anyone else.”
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