Man Faces Murder Charges after Daughter Abducted, Wife and Another Man Found Dead: BSO

The Incident

The father of a 4-year-old girl who was abducted on Sunday in Tamarac has been charged with murder after her mother and a man who loved ones say tried to help her were found shot to death.

The Suspect

Nathan Gingles, 44, faces three charges of first-degree murder with a firearm, along with violating an injunction relating to not having contact with the child or child’s mother, and interfering with custody of a minor.

The Crime Scene

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said it was just after 6 a.m. when deputies got a call about a shooting on the 5700 block of Plum Bay Parkway. There, they said they found the bodies of 34-year-old Mary Gingles and a man, later identified as Andrew Ferrin by family members.

Family identified the second victim as Andrew Ferrin. They said Mary was trying to get help, when Ferrin answered the door and was shot.

“It’s unimaginable,” Ferrin’s uncle said. “A woman was in the neighborhood knocking on actual doors, and my nephew who was home happened to open the door for her.”

The Investigation

While investigating the shooting, officials said they found that Mary’s 4-year-old daughter had been abducted from the home and was with Mary’s estranged husband Nathan Gingles. An AMBER Alert was issued for the little girl.

Home surveillance video from a neighbor captured what appears to be the father and little girl walking in the area around 6:13 a.m., minutes after the shooting was reported Sunday morning. But what that footage shows hasn’t been confirmed by investigators.

BSO said she was found unharmed with her father in a Walmart parking lot in North Lauderdale hours later.

The Charges

Gingles was arrested and charged with violating a stay away order. Monday, he was officially booked on the murder charges. NBC6 is working to confirm what crime the third count stems from.

The Divorce

Court records show Mary and Nathan Gingles were going through a divorce.

The divorce petition states that the mother and child were both physically abused by the father. On one occasion, it states that the girl watched Nathan Gingles drag Mary up the stairs while in a chokehold.

It also states that he “sang songs about killing his wife.”

The Reactions

Mary’s divorce attorney called the shooting a “senseless tragedy.” She said she also represented the mother in two separate domestic violence cases.

One of Mary’s friends, Lupita, told NBC6: “It shouldn’t get to this point. The system needs to be fixed. That’s where my frustration is coming in, because loved ones… look at all the lives that have been affected because of one person’s action.”

Conclusion

The tragic events that unfolded in Tamarac have left a community reeling. The senseless murder of two innocent lives, and the abduction of a 4-year-old child, has left many questioning the system and its ability to protect its citizens. As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: justice must be served for the victims and their families.

FAQs

Q: What happened on the day of the incident?

A: A shooting was reported on the 5700 block of Plum Bay Parkway, resulting in the deaths of 34-year-old Mary Gingles and Andrew Ferrin. The 4-year-old daughter of Mary Gingles was abducted and later found unharmed with her father in a Walmart parking lot in North Lauderdale.

Q: Who is the suspect in the case?

A: Nathan Gingles, 44, faces three charges of first-degree murder with a firearm, along with violating an injunction relating to not having contact with the child or child’s mother, and interfering with custody of a minor.

Q: What were the circumstances surrounding the divorce between Mary and Nathan Gingles?

A: Court records show that the mother and child were both physically abused by the father. The divorce petition states that the girl watched Nathan Gingles drag Mary up the stairs while in a chokehold, and that he “sang songs about killing his wife.”