Dad takes down burglar in Lake Mary home

LAKE MARY, Fla. — A Lake Mary father told WFTV Tuesday what he did to save his daughter during a violent burglary.

The break-in happened at the Regal Pointe apartments near Interstate 4 and Lake Mary Boulevard.

Authorities said Devonta Cosby, 19, was denied bail and was jailed on a burglary with assault charge.

Deputies said Cosby got a gash on his forehead when Javier Melendez said he caught him breaking into his apartment.

"I just grabbed him and just dragged him all the way over here, dropped him on this couch, and I just started going at it," said Melendez.

Melendez said Cosby came in through the window early Monday morning, which was open because the air conditioning unit was broken.

Melendez's girlfriend heard the sound and he tackled the suspect to the ground.

"I don't want anybody to be in my house, you know, especially with my kids, you know, that is the most important thing, my kids," he said.

"It was a big fight right there, and I was like praying to God saying, 'Oh Lord please help me,'" said Daniel Arboleda, Melendez's son.

Cosby allegedly grabbed Melendez's 3-year-old daughter by the neck, so Melendezsaid he lunged at him again.

"When I grabbed her, he just bit me right here, so I just kind of punched him twice and he let go," Melendez said.

Melendez also said he grabbed Cosby's legs as he was trying to escape through the window, but the Cosby's shorts slid off, so he was able to run to this building next door.

Neighbors called deputies who spotted Cosby next door.

WFTV