SCSO: Suspect shot himself after girl rescued Monday.
WHITE SPRINGS — A kidnapped child out of Tampa was found safe in a Suwannee County motel early Monday morning.
The suspected kidnapper — a 38-year-old Jovanni Caceres Steffani, the girls’ mother’s boyfriend — refused to surrender to deputies from the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office and killed himself, according to releases from both the Tampa Police Department and the SCSO.
The child’s mother — 34-year-old Sylvia Pagan is still missing, according to the Tampa PD, which said in a release that it is “deeply concerned for her overall well-being.” Pagan, who was also believed to have been kidnapped, was last seen around 10 a.m. on Saturday in 10400 block of Altman Street in Tampa.
According to the SCSO, it received contact from detectives with the Tampa PD about a possible location for the child — 9-year-old Briana Pagan — and Steffani. Deputies responded to a motel at the Interstate 75 and County Road 136 interchange near White Springs where they confirmed Steffani had checked in.
When deputies entered into Steffani’s room, they found him armed with a handgun and the girl. Deputies were able to rescue the girl, according to the release but Steffani refused to surrender and threatened to shoot himself.
The release states that deputies, including one who is a certified hostage negotiator, attempted to negotiate with Steffani for more than an hour. Ultimately, though, he shot himself.
Anyone with information about Sylvia Pagan’s whereabouts is asked to call the Tampa PD at 813-231-6130.