Mother, man found dead after Amber Alert issued for young girl; father arrested

TAMARAC, FLA. -- A mother was found shot to death after a Florida Amber Alert was issued her 4-year-old daughter. The girl's father was arrested.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued on Sunday afternoon of out Tamarac, Florida for 4-year-old Seraphina Gingles, and her mother, Mary Catherine Gingles, 34.

Nathan Gingles, 43, reportedly abducted Seraphina from a home along the 5700 block of Plum Bay Parkway on Sunday morning, according to the Broward Sheriff's Office.

"He has been taken into custody and charged with violating an injunction regarding having no contact with the child and her mother," said BSO spokesperson Carey Codd.

If you need help or know someone in need of help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for confidential support 24/7/365. The number is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). You can also text the word "START" to 88788.

Investigators said deputies with BSO's Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Respons Unit found a silver 2016 BMW X3 mentioned in the AMBER Alert at a Walmart.

"Deputies located 4-year-old Seraphina Gingles. She was found safe and unharmed," said Codd. "Deputies also located Nathan Gingles."

While deputies believed the girl's mother was with Nathan and their daughter, authorities found her shot to death in a Tamarac home.

"During the investigation today, deputies located Mary Catherine Gingles suffering from a gunshot wound inside a home in the 5800 block of Plum Bay Parkway in Tamarac. She was pronounced deceased on scene," said Codd.

BSO officials said they received reports of shots fired at the same house Seraphina was taken from, at around 6 a.m.

When deputies arrived to the neighborhood, they found a man who was fatally shot in that home. Detectives said they would later learn Seraphina was missing, which led to the AMBER Alert and her discovery.

The identity of the male victim has not yet been released.

Gingles was booked into the Broward County jail Monday morning, now facing murder charges. He could be seen by a judge as early as Monday afternoon.

The-CNN-Wire & 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.