Wandering girl leads to grenade discovery in Miami apartment building

Police find grenade, assault rifles, arsenal of ammunition inside dad's apartment

MIAMI – Miami police discovered a grenade and a home full of weapons while looking for the family of a girl who was found walking alone in an apartment complex.

People who live in the apartments at 922 SW 3rd Street called police Wednesday about 6:30 p.m. when they discovered the child wandering the property alone.

Responding officers were told the girl lives at the apartment with her father and his girlfriend. She pointed them to the apartment, where they found the door wide open.

Police said officers then entered the apartment to determine if medical assistance was needed. Neither adult was home but officers did make another discovery.

"The little girl herself showed us where she lives," police spokesperson Willie Moreno said. "We did not find a human being in there. What we did find was a grenade, several assault rifles, and an arsenal of ammunition."

All of the items were in the father's bedroom, in plain view and easily accessible. It is unclear whether the guns were loaded.

Afterwards, the apartment building was evacuated and the bomb squad was called. They later gathered everything and left.

Police said the girl was taken to the Miami Police Department and the Department of Children and Families was called.

A man who said he was the child's grandfather told reporters that he couldn't believe his granddaughter was left alone and that her fourth birthday was Thursday.

A neighbor said he last saw the girl's father on Wednesday. The girl's father, Luis Bianchi, was arrested Thursday.


About the Authors:

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.