PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — The desperate search for a missing South Florida newborn is still underway after an Amber Alert was issued on Wednesday.
"Please think of the child and turn him in so we can at least have a child in the family and he can be raised with the people that care about him," said Melchor Izquierdo, a friend of the family. "It’s uh... it’s unbelievable."
Izquierdo says they want to get a family member currently in Cuba a special visa to Miami.
“We’re hoping that he can make it to the funeral, we don’t know the day of the funeral yet we’re still in the process of finding a funeral home and doing funeral arrangements and stuff like that," he said.
They reached out to Senator Marco Rubio's office to see if they can help. A spokeswoman in his office says they are in touch with the family and helping them with that process.
“We’re hoping that under this crazy circumstance that he can make it," Izquierdo said.
Florida Amber Alert Issued
An Amber Alert was issued for 1-week-old Andrew Caballeiro early Wednesday morning after authorities found three women shot and killed inside a South Florida home.
Authorities said they believed Andrew was with his father, 49-year-old Ernesto Caballeiro, in a white Ford Passenger van with Florida tag number: KUSK23.
Ernesto, according to authorities, was related to at least one of the deceased women. Police identified the victims as mother Arlety Garcia Valdes, 40, grandmother Isabela Valdes, 60, and great-grandmother Lina Gonzalez, 84.
Father found dead in Pasco County
A little before 12:30 p.m., the Pasco County Sheriff's Office received a call in a rural area of Blanton near I-75 saying they found a vehicle matching the one Ernesto was driving.
About 50 yards from the vehicle, deputies found the body of Ernesto with a gunshot wound — believed to be self inflicted.
Deputies search Pasco Co. area for newborn
After finding Ernesto's body deputies began searching the area for Andrew. While some deputies searched the nearby wooded area on horses and ATVs others searched with the help of K9s.
FLORIDA NEWS | The latest headlines across the state
During their search, deputies found old receipts in the vehicle and a pacifier. A witness also told deputies they thought they saw a blonde woman in the van Ernesto was driving, which deputies said they would release a composite sketch of.
After an exhaustive search, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office said "there is no sign" Andrew was at the Blanton scene or that he was ever in Pasco County with his father Ernesto.
The investigation continues
On Thursday morning, the sheriff's office said it appeared the reported woman might have been someone who stopped to check on the vehicle after the incident and was not directly involved in the case. Deputies said because of that, they would not be releasing the sketch they initially promised on Wednesday.
The sheriff's office said evidence suggests Ernesto left South Florida around four and a half hours before he arrived in Pasco County. They believe Ernesto was only in Pasco for a few minutes before killing himself.
Sheriff Nocco said baby Andrew's safety is everyone's number-one priority, and that he's unsure if Andrew has relatives in the Pasco County area.
The sheriff's office says the most promising leads to the whereabouts of baby Andrew remain within Miami Dade County. They released the following map showing the route Ernesto most likely took:
Ernesto Caballeiro's estimated route -- Pasco Sheriff by wftsweb on Scribd
The Pasco County Sheriff's Office says it is working closely with the Miami Dade Police Department to ensure all leads are thoroughly investigated.
Story developing, refresh for updates. Stay with ABC Action News for the latest.
