The Storm Lake Police Department arrested a Storm Lake man Monday night on assault and public intoxication charges for allegedly picking up a small child at a waterpark. Officers were dispatched to the King’s Pointe Resort at approximately 5:29 p.m. after being contacted about the incident. Upon arrival, law enforcement spoke with the reporting party and determined that an unknown male had approached a 15-month-old child, touched their forehead and then picked the child up. The child’s guardian confronted the male and physically took the child away from him. After interviewing witness and reviewing security video, police identified the man as 36-year-old Pedro Antonio Leiva, of Storm Lake. Investigators and additional officers were called in to ensure the waterpark was safe and to assist in searching for the suspect. At approximately 7:30 p.m., an officer spotted Leiva on a bike in front of the Storm Lake High School. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Buena Vista County jail where he was charged with assault and public intoxication, both simple misdemeanors. The Buena Vista County Sheriff’s Office and resort staff assisted in the investigation.
