PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A statewide search remains in place Thursday after a series of incidents that resulted in a 1-week-old baby missing and the father's body found in Pasco County.  

The search scene near Blanton in Pasco was cleared Thursday morning. An exhaustive search in that area did not locate the baby or any further evidence.

State authorities are now examining the route from South Florida to Pasco County taken by Ernesto Caballeiro, who was found dead in Blanton.

Wednesday evening, authorities found what they think is the body of a man who went missing with his 1-week-old son, prompting an Amber Alert out of Miami early in the day. 

Around 2 p.m., the Pasco County Sheriff's Office deputies found the body near a white van in a rural area of Blanton near Interstate 75.

Both the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Miami-Dade Police Department confirm that the body is that of Caballeiro, 49, who is suspected of kidnapping his infant son, Andrew Caballeiro.


Andrew Caballeiro has not yet been found, deputies said. Andrew Caballeiro is described as a white-Hispanic boy who is 20 inches tall and 7 pounds. He has no hair, black eyes, and was last seen on the 21900 block of Southwest 187th Avenue.

An Amber Alert remains in effect for 1-week-old Andrew Caballeiro. (FDLE)

According to authorities, a pacifier was found in the van, but other than that, there's been no sign of Andrew.  Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said authorities are not sure if they baby was with the father or left behind.

"The baby may be anywhere in the state," Nocco said.

The baby was last seen in the Homestead area amid a triple-homicide investigation. The Miami-Dade Police Department confirmed to Spectrum News that three women were found dead of gunshot wounds at the same address where the baby was last seend.

Three women, the baby's mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were found shot to death Wednesday. 

Miami television stations have reported the suspect in those shooting deaths is Caballeiro, the baby's father.

Miami-Dade Police and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents said he was suspected of being in the custody of his father, and an Amber Alert was issued. Ernesto Caballeiro died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities.  

Sheriff Chris Nocco said there was no baby seat in the vehicle found Wednesday afternoon. Authorities aren't sure if they baby was with the father or left behind. (Pasco County Sheriff's Office)

Overnight, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said the blonde woman was potentially a witness but later determined she is not involved in the case.

A full search of the area, including the use of bloodhounds, revealed no signs of the child. Deputies found a baby's pacifier in the van but dogs trying to track the scent found nothing in a nearby field.

"I promise you that all we care about is that little Andrew is OK," Nocco said. "That's all we care about."

At the same time, deputies are still searching for a pick axe that was supposed to be inside the van but was not located.

Law enforcement statewide has been notified as there is a 300-plus mile trail between where the murders happened in South Florida and where Caballeiro's possible body was found.

 

 

HOW THE PUBLIC CAN HELP

Sheriff Nocco said a pick axe that was supposed to be in the vehicle is missing and asks that anyone who's seen that or a freshly dug site along a roadside to reach out to authorities. 

Miami-Dade police also tweeted that if anyone in the communiyt is aware of an infant who's been surrendered to a Safe Haven location to call authorities.

Anyone with information should call 911 or Miami-Dade Police at 1-305-471-2400 immediately.