Arizona abandons granddaughter in desert with loaded gun

A 62-year-old Arizona man faces multiple charges after leaving his 5-year-old granddaughter alone in the desert with a loaded and cocked gun.

The little girl was ditched in the Phoenix desert so her grandfather, Paul Rater, could have “a few drinks and a cheeseburger,” according to NBC News.

Authorities began an aerial search for the girl after her mother reported her missing four hours after leaving with her grandfather, according to KPHO 5.

The search was reportedly called off when relatives told the sheriff’s office they had found her alone in the desert with a cocked and loaded .45 calibre handgun.

Police then tracked Rater to a local store with the help of the girl’s family where he admitted to leaving her alone.

During his first court appearance, Rater told the judge his truck had gotten struck in the desert and was walking to get help when the girl started crying because she was tired, that’s when he decided to leave her behind, according to ABC 15 Arizona.

Rater said he walked four hours by himself looking for help but ultimately wound up circling back to where he had left his truck.

“I tried to dig the truck out again, but I couldn’t. I was so thirsty I couldn’t stand it. I started walking to see if I could see [my granddaughter] again to make sure she was okay. I didn’t see her. I call for her. She said she was tired, so I guess she went to sleep and took a nap,” he told the court.

He then stumbled on a “bar he’d never seen”, according to ABC 15.

“Only reason I got something to eat, I hadn’t eaten for six hours,” he told the judge. “I drank two sodas and then I started drinking beer, because I don’t like soda.”

He reportedly never mentioned his granddaughter or asked anyone for help while at the bar.

Rater is being held on $25,000 bond and faces two counts of child abuse and one count of child endangerment.