1 year ago, Baby Andrew was kidnapped by his father, never seen again

One year has passed since Baby Andrew’s disappearance.

His mother Arlety García Valdés, 40; grandmother Isabel Valdés González, 60; and Lina González Licor, 84, were killed in Miami by the baby’s father Ernesto Caballeiro before the man kidnapped the newborn and fled, authorities say.

Caballeiro was found dead by a self-inflicted gunshot in a wooded area of Pasco County, but the baby hasn’t been seen since.

In the ensuing days, law enforcement agencies targeted a stretch of SR-29 in Big Cypress Preserve to try to find the newborn.

Andrew’s family has accepted the grim reality that he may never be found, said Fernando Alvarez, a private investigator hired by the Caballeiro family.

“At this point, the disappearance of Baby Andrew is a cold case,” Alvarez said. “We want to give closure to this case to find Baby Andrew so he can be buried along with his mother but it’s not happening.”

Crews spent weeks searching Collier County for clues.

“We were always motivated on our missions, but this one especially, it was an emotional experience for all of us. We were very eager to do whatever we could to find this little guy,” said Matt Melican, a Marco Patriots volunteer.

Volunteers swept the dense woods and swampy waters along Tamiami Trail in their effort to find the 1-week-old child.

“We were optimistic that we were going to produce something,” Melican said.

Baby Andrew’s family is now focused on raising his sister, who was not with the women on the day they were murdered.

One year later, they’ve put their faith in God and continue to pray for answers.