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Local residents and business proprietors in the El Combate tourist area of Cabo Rojo are calling on law enforcement to capture a female tourist believed to be involved in arson incidents targeting several nearby businesses.
The individual, named Danielle Bertothy and hailing from Missouri, is reported to have left the island, inciting urgent action from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau as well as the Attorney General’s Office in the Mayagüez Judicial District.
Security recordings from a restaurant showed Bertothy in a heated argument with other guests and physically assaulting a waitress. The establishments affected by the fires in El Combate include Marinera, Bar Marea, and Artesanía Juavia.
In a public statement, community members expressed frustration over Bertothy’s lack of arrest despite several engagements by the Cabo Rojo Municipal Police. They asserted that this inaction enabled her to return and ignite fires at Bar Marea and other buildings. Witnesses noted that she subsequently went back to her lodging to sleep and vanished the following day, leaving the damages unaccounted for.
Locals utilized social media to pinpoint Bertothy, uncovering that she is employed by an event coordination firm. Before the incidents of arson, she purportedly visited a restaurant, ordered drinks, and instigated conflicts with both customers and staff. Upon being asked to vacate the premises, her aggression heightened, culminating in an altercation with an employee, which necessitated the arrival of the Municipal Police.
Nevertheless, rather than taking her into custody for her actions, officers simply escorted Bertothy back to her lodging without addressing the harm inflicted at the restaurant.
According to reports from U.S. media, Bertothy has since faced suspension from her employment.
