Florida mother still missing after suspected abductor found dead, 9-year-old girl found alive: Police

TAMPA, Fla. - A 9-year-old Tampa girl has been safely located, but her mother is still missing after their suspected abductor was found dead early Monday morning. 

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an AMBER Alert for 9-year-old Briana Pagan around 1 a.m. on Monday and canceled it about an hour later when the child was safely located. The alert was issued after the pair vanished from the 10400 block of Altman Street in Tampa around 10 a.m. on Sunday.  

At that time, officials believed the child was with 34-year-old Sylvia Pagan and person-of-interest Jovanni Caceres Steffani. Police say it appears that Steffani drove them north on I-75 and into Suwannee County. 

Courtesy: Tampa Police Department

TPD Major Patrick Messmer said investigators responded to a hotel where they were believed to be staying, but at that point, Sylvia was no longer with her daughter and Steffani. 

Messmer said the 9-year-old was found in the hotel room, and investigators were able to get her to come to deputies and took her to a safe place. She appeared uninjured, according to law enforcement.

That's when Steffani went into the bathroom, retrieved a gun and took his own life. Police say that deputies on the scene tried to talk with Steffani for about an hour before he shot himself.

Police say they are "deeply concerned" about Sylvia's well-being. 

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call the Tampa Police Department at 813-231-6130.

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