Man accused of throwing beer on 5-month-old baby while drunk

NAPLES, Fla. (WBBH) - A Florida man is facing charges after he allegedly threw an open cup of beer at a 5-month-old baby during a drunken outburst.

The Naples Police Department arrested 58-year-old Joseph Morrello and charged him with battery Friday in relation to the reported incident.

The mother of the 5-month-old baby, only identified as “D,” told police her family was saying goodbye to each other late Monday on the sidewalk outside Vergina’s Italian Restaurant in Naples, Florida.

The restaurant's management snapped a photo of the suspect, later identified by police as... — The restaurant's management snapped a photo of the suspect, later identified by police as 58-year-old Joseph Morrello, before he ran off down the street.(Source: Vergina Restaurant, WBBH via CNN)

She says staff escorted the suspect out of the restaurant, and he began yelling. She says he then threw an open cup of beer that hit her baby girl.

“As he stormed out, he proceeded to throw an entire beer on my 5-month-old baby, who was in her stroller doing absolutely nothing wrong,” the mother said. “When I saw my baby scared, like I’ve never seen before, soaking wet in beer, I knew had to just pick her up and grab her.”

Vergina’s management quickly snapped a photo of the man before he ran off down the street.

“This is not the place for you. Unfortunately, there’s consequences when you do things like that,” said Vergina’s manager Eric Tancredi.

The mother filed a police report following the incident. She says she has been in contact with other restaurants in the area who have had similar issues with the suspect.

Morrello posted bond Saturday, according to online records. He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 1.