TAMPA, FL – Authorities have reported the death of a man who had been suspected of abducting a Tampa mother and her 9-year-old daughter. The kidnapping suspect was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in Suwannee County, according to Tampa police.
The discovery followed an AMBER alert issued early on Monday for the missing girl from Tampa, who was believed to have been kidnapped alongside her mother, 34-year-old Sylvia Pagan.
Tampa police confirmed the safe recovery of the young girl in Suwannee County. The suspected abductor has been identified as 38-year-old Jovanni Caceres Steffani. The man was found dead around 2 a.m. However, as of the time of this report, the mother, Sylvia Pagan, is still missing.
The last sighting of Pagan was on Sunday around 10 a.m. in the 10400 block of Altman Street. Descriptions of the woman depict her height as approximately 5 feet 3 inches. She reportedly weighs around 155 pounds. She was last seen wearing a dress, the color of which is currently unknown.
Expressing their deep concerns for her safety, the Tampa police are working industriously to locate her. They are asking anyone with information on Pagan’s whereabouts to step forward and call the Tampa Police Department.