A 4-year-old girl, Seraphina Gingles, has been safely recovered following a dramatic search in Florida after authorities learned she had gone missing during a homicide investigation at her home.
On Sunday, February 16, police responded to reports of a shooting at a residence in Tamarac, Florida, where they found an adult male who had suffered a gunshot wound. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, though his identity remains unknown. Authorities later discovered that Seraphina had been taken from the home.
An AMBER alert was quickly issued, and hours later, both Seraphina and her alleged abductor, her father Nathan Gingles, were located. Deputies found the pair at a Walmart in North Lauderdale after tracking down the vehicle mentioned in the alert, a 2016 silver BMW X3 with a Texas license plate.
Nathan, 43, was taken into custody, and Seraphina was found safe. A photo of Seraphina smiling from the back of a police car was shared by local authorities. Nathan is reportedly under a domestic violence restraining order, which had been issued due to a history of abusive behavior.
In addition to Seraphina’s abduction, authorities are investigating whether Nathan may have also taken her mother, 34-year-old Mary Catherine Gingles. She is considered to be endangered and was last seen wearing an orange flower shirt and tan shorts. Authorities have not yet provided an update on her location.
Court records show that Mary Catherine had obtained a domestic violence restraining order against Nathan in February 2024, shortly before their divorce proceedings. That order was dismissed later in the year, but she obtained another in December, which was extended in January 2025.
The Broward County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate both the homicide and the circumstances surrounding Seraphina’s abduction.
