BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – A 4-year-old girl was found after an Amber Alert was issued Sunday morning for her and her mother, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
News 6 partner WPLG-TV reported that Broward County deputies responded to reports of a shooting near the 5800 block of Plum Bay Parkway in Tamarac on Sunday morning, finding a man who was suffering from a fatal gunshot wound.
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Authorities said they believe that the girl, Seraphina Gingles, was taken from the home, prompting the Amber Alert, according to WPLG-TV.
The FDLE had said previously that the missing girl and mother, Mary Gingles, were both considered endangered. According to WPLG-TV, deputies later said the girl’s mother was found dead inside the home in the 5800 block of Plum Bay Parkway.
FDLE said the girl may have been in the company of Nathan Gingles, 43.
In an update, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office announced that Seraphine Gingles and Nathan Gingles had been found shortly before 11 a.m. after deputies located the vehicle in North Lauderdale involved in the incident.
The FDLE announced on social media that the Amber Alert for Seraphina Gingles was officially canceled around 3:30 p.m.
“The child is safe,” the post reads.
Court records show the former couple was in and out of court over the past year over child custody arrangements and domestic violence accusations, according to WPLG-TV.
According to a neighbor, the woman who lives inside the home has a restraining order against her ex, adding that the woman has recently had a lot of problems with that man, WPLG-TV reports. For example, just a few weeks ago, that ex showed up to the house with a ladder to possibly gain access through a window. The neighbor also said that same woman who lives inside the house came running over early Sunday morning to another neighbor’s house, asking for help.
Deputies said Gingles has been arrested on a charge of violating an injunction regarding no contact with the child, and that the investigation remains active and ongoing.
If you need help getting out of an abusive situation, or getting someone you care about out of an abusive situation, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text “START” to 88788.
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