Police continue their search locally for missing, endangered Tampa mother

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tampa police officers are entering a third day of trying to find a missing Tampa mother, who is believed to be endangered.

Investigators across the state are working together to search for Sylvia Pagan who was reported missing on Sunday.

“We’re working closely with the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to use any sort of investigative means that we can to locate Sylvia with our ultimate goal to bring Sylvia home safely,” said Major Patrick Messmer, Commander of Tampa Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division.

Police believe Pagan was with her boyfriend, Jovanni Caceres Steffani, before she vanished on Mother’s Day.

“So we’re asking anybody who might have seen Sylvia or Jovanni Saturday night into Sunday morning to please call the Tampa Police Department,” Messmer said.

Tampa police said they launched an investigation after they received a call Sunday evening about the disappearance of Pagan and her 9-year old daughter.

“That investigation also led us to believe that both individuals were in danger,” Messmer said.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an Amber Alert for Briana Pagan around 1 a.m. Monday morning. About an hour later, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office rescued Pagan’s daughter from a hotel in the county.

“Briana was recovered unharmed and at that point, the Suwannee County Sheriff’s deputies began negotiations with Jovanni in order to try and take him into custody,” Messmer said.

Police said Pagan’s daughter didn’t know what happened to her 34-year-old mother.

Caceres reportedly took his own life at the hotel during negotiations with deputies.

On Tuesday, a Spokesperson for the Tampa Police Department said, “Today officers will be continuing their search locally for Sylvia Pagan. Our ultimate goal is to bring her home safely and reunite her with Briana.”

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