FL BRYAN DOS SANTOS GOMES: Missing from Fort Myers, FL - 1 Dec 2006 - Age 3 weeks

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Bryan was abducted from Fort Myers, Florida on December 1, 2006. He and his mother, Maria de Fatima Ramos Dos Santos, were waiting with Maria's friend, Janice Duarte, at a bus stop when a woman drove up and asked for directions. She said she had been driving around for eight hours trying to find her mother's house.

Maria, Bryan and Duarte got on the bus, but the woman followed the bus until they got off and asked again for help. Maria, Bryan and Duarte got into her car. The woman later let Duarte go. Shortly afterwards she demanded $500 and made threats to Maria. She said she was going to Tampa, Florida but not to tell the police this or she would harm the women's families. She added that if the police stopped the car, the women had to claim they already knew each other.

The abductor eventually dropped Maria and her friend off at the roadside near the Villagio housing development off Three Oaks Parkway in Estero, Florida. She told them they had to wait ten minutes before calling anyone, then she drove away with Bryan. Neither Bryan nor his abductor have been heard from again.

A sketch of the abductor and an image of an SUV similar to the abduction vehicle are posted with this case summary. The abductor is described as being Hispanic, between 28 and 30 years old, heavyset and approximately 5'4 tall, with straight black hair which was partially pinned up in a bun. She wore blue jeans and a black blouse or t-shirt, and spoke Spanish. She is believed to have been driving a black two-door 1998 to 2003 Ford Explorer SUV with older, peeling window tint.

Maria stated there was a diaper bag and car seat in the SUV, indicating the abduction had been planned. The abductor should be considered to be armed and dangerous.

Photographs of Bryan's mother and his father, Jurandir Gomes Costa, are posted with this case summary. They are from a village in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and paid human traffickers helped them move the United States. Authorities theorized that Bryan was abducted in retaliation after Maria and Jurandir fell behind in the payments they owed to the smugglers.

Valter Coelho, an enforcer for a smuggling ring and an acquaintance of Maria's, was detained in connection with Bryan's abduction, but police could find no evidence to link him to the baby and he was deported to his native Brazil without being charged with anything.

Bryan's parents admitted to their illegal status and to owing hundreds of dollars to the smugglers, but denied that this could be the reason their child was taken.

Investigators now believe Bryan's kidnapping was a random crime. After his abduction, a Fort Myers woman went to the police and said she had been walking on the sidewalk with her infant grandchild when she was approached by a woman in a black SUV who asked for directions. This was in the same general vicinity as where Bryan was taken, and occurred only hours after his abduction.

The grandmother and Bryan's mother both picked the same person out of a photo lineup. The woman they identified was later cleared of suspicion, but investigators stated the two incidents were too similar to ignore and they believe Bryan's abductor had also accosted the other baby's grandmother. The abductor may be a woman who wanted a baby of her own; possibly she had experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth before she took Bryan.

Bryan's parents had two additional children following his abduction. Jurandir was arrested for driving without a license in November 2009 and was given over to the custody of immigration authorities the following month, pending deportation proceedings. He was released from detention under a supervision order in June 2010, however, and it remains to be seen whether he will be deported or not.

Maria stated she was going to try to get U Visas for herself and her husband. A U Visa is for victims of violent crimes and allows undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States legally for up to four years.

Bryan's disappearance remains unsolved and his kidnapper has never been identified. Authorities believe she may have been from South America or Mexico originally, or possibly a second-generation immigrant, and that English may be her first language, although she spoke Spanish during the abduction. His case remains unsolved.

CHARLEY PROJECT - Bryan Dos Santos-Gomes – The Charley Project

NCMEC - Have you seen this child? BRYAN DOSSANTOS-GOMES

NAMUS - The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

MEDIA - BRYAN DOS SANTOS GOMES: Missing from Fort Myers, FL since 1 Dec 2006 - Age 3 weeks
 
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www.winknews.com

Family of boy missing for 15 years hasen't lost hope their son is alive

A family hopes they don’t go through another holiday without their son. Someone kidnapped a baby named Bryan at knife point in Fort Myers 15 years ago. In a WINK News exclusive, his family tells us they still have hope. Bryan’s parents are asking him to look at their faces and see if there is […]
www.winknews.com www.winknews.com
Family of boy missing for 15 years haven't lost hope their son is alive

A family hopes they don’t go through another holiday without their son. Someone kidnapped a baby named Bryan at knife point in Fort Myers 15 years ago.

In a WINK News exclusive, his family tells us they still have hope.

Bryan’s parents are asking him to look at their faces and see if there is any resemblance.



He was only four weeks old when he was kidnapped. His parents have maintained a strong faith their son is still alive and that they will be reunited with him again one day.

Christmas is a painful time for Maria Dossantos Gomes and Jurandir Gomes Costa. Their son Bryan was kidnapped just weeks before what would have been his first Christmas in 2006.

“It’s worse with the kids because I don’t want to cry in front of them. So, I go to the room to cry because the kids look at me and ask, ‘mom, why are you crying?’ and I get sadder because of the questions,” said Maria.

Bryan’s parents have had two children since Bryan was abducted. They pray every day he will come back home and their family will be complete.

“The kids ask me, ‘mom, why isn’t Bryan here? You don’t know where Bryan is.’ and I tell them, ‘I don’t know. But God always knows where he’s at. And takes care of him. And I believe one day he’s going to bring him back.'”

The middle image is what Bryan could look like today at 15-years-old.

Investigators say he may soon try to get a driver’s license or permit, and using a fake birth certificate could raise a red flag.

His mom Maria said, “sometimes I feel like my life isn’t worth it because my son has disappeared. I don’t know where he’s at. I don’t if he is well. I don’t know if he’s being taken care of to grow up and be a good boy.”

His father, Jurandir, has this message for Bryan. “That person that is with him, that is not ‘Dad’. We are the parents. I’m Dad and she is Mom.”

Every time a story about Bryan runs investigators say they get numerous tips.

His parents pray one will bring their boy back home. “I ask God, ‘if it’s your will that Bryan comes back. If I don’t deserve it, do it for the siblings so they can grow up together,'” said Maria.

The lead detective told WINK News that Bryan’s mother submitted her DNA to a database called ‘family tree’. If at any point Bryan submits his own DNA it will show the match.
 
www.fox35orlando.com

Here are the 9 missing, endangered children in Florida, according to FDLE

In Florida, there are nine missing and endangered children that have never been found, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's website.
www.fox35orlando.com www.fox35orlando.com

By FOX 35 News Staff
Published February 22, 2023 4:24PM

ORLANDO, Fla. - In Florida, there are nine children that have been reported missing to law enforcement and have never been found, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's website.

The majority of the kids were either kidnapped or disappeared under suspicious circumstances, authorities said.

Here are the Missing Child Alerts/AMBER Alerts that remain active in hopes that the community will come forward.

<snip>

Bryan Dossantos-Gomes

  • Missing Since: 12/01/2006
  • Missing From: Fort Myers
  • Age Missing: 4 weeks old
  • Age Now: 16
  • Sex: Male
  • Race: White
Bryan was last seen in Estero area. He may be with a heavyset white/hispanic woman who was believed to be 28 to 30 years old at the time Bryan went missing. The unknown woman, who may be armed and dangeougs, had long straight black hair and was wearing blue jeans and a black blouse. The pair could be traveling in a two door black Ford Explorer SUV.
 

Unsolved AMBER Alerts: These Children Still Need Your Help

Since the first AMBER Alert program launched 27 years ago, more than 1,140 children have been...
www.missingkids.org www.missingkids.org

Unsolved AMBER Alerts: These Children Still Need Your Help​

Since the first AMBER Alert program launched 27 years ago, more than 1,140 children have been recovered safely as a direct result of AMBER Alerts and the incredible communities that respond to them.

In 2022, 74% of AMBER Alert cases were recovered within six hours and 93% were recovered within 24 hours.

NCMEC is asking for the public’s help in finding these missing children. If you have any information, please call us immediately at 1-800-THE-LOST.

bryan's picture, brian's age progression, and suspect drawing

Bryan Dossantos-Gomes was just four weeks old on December 1, 2006 when he was allegedly abducted at knifepoint by a stranger while on a walk with his mother in Fort Myers, Florida. According to law enforcement, the abductor, a heavyset white/Hispanic female in her late twenties, was traveling in a two-door black Ford Explorer SUV. She had long straight black hair and was wearing blue jeans and a black blouse. Law enforcement says she should be considered armed and dangerous. Bryan would now be 16; his abductor approximately 45 to 47.
 
www.newsweek.com

America's Lost Children: 37 Active AMBER Alerts Still Haunt Families

Since the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children have tracked AMBER Alerts, 99% of children have been recovered. The 1% are still missing.
www.newsweek.com www.newsweek.com

America's Lost Children: 37 Active AMBER Alerts Still Haunt Families​

The first AMBER Alert was issued in 1996. The notification, which stands for America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response, has recovered at least 1,074 abducted children around the country.

Throughout the years, however, not all missing children are found and there are still 37 active alerts.

"Obviously we would want ever case of a missing child to be resolved and for the child to be recovered alive," Alan Nanavaty, executive director of special programs the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children missing children division, told Newsweek.

The alerts serve as just one tool to help find missing children. Last year alone, Nanavaty said her organization had 20,000 children missing reported to the organization. Around 90% of those children were found.

"Since we've been tracking AMBER Alerts, since early 2005 timeframe, 99% of the children have been recovered," Nanavaty said. "It's not a good or bad thing. It's just what it is, and law enforcement continues to work on the cases."

"I think in terms of the AMBER Alert being used or activated at this point on these cases, the value diminishes over time. However, there are still things that can be done," Nanavaty said. "The most important part is locating that child as quickly as possible and bringing them home safely."

2006 Amber Alerts​

Bryan Dossantos-Gomes was abducted from Fort Meyers. He and his mother were waiting for a friend at a bus stop. A woman drove up and asked for directions. The woman followed the bus until Byran and his mother got off.
 
www.nbc-2.com

18 years after baby Bryan disappeared, detectives still work to find him

Bryan Dossantos-Gomes disappeared in December 2006 at just 4 weeks old. Cold case detectives are still working to find out who took him.
www.nbc-2.com www.nbc-2.com

18 years after baby Bryan disappeared, detectives still work to find him​

Bryan Dossantos-Gomes’ earliest moments were like most others — captured on home video in a hospital bed alongside a smiling mother.

But his young life would soon become anything but ordinary.

In December 2006, just four weeks after baby Dossantos-Gomes was born, he vanished.

Archived NBC2 footage from that time period showed the desperate efforts to find the baby.

"I appeal to anybody looking to us at this particular time, please bring the baby back," the Rev. Israel Suarez said in a news story from 2006.

Suarez helped bridge the language gap between Dossantos-Gomes' Brazilian parents and the Fort Myers community. He still remembers the fear when the boy went missing 18 years later.

“People were scared," Suarez recalled. "It could happen to my kid. It could happen to your kid. This was a big situation here.”


Sunday marked 18 years since his disappearance. Bryan Dossantos-Gomes would now be an adult.

“This case occupies an entire wall in the office of filing cabinets,” Michael Iarossi, a cold case detective with the Fort Myers Police Department, told NBC2.

Iarossi and Detective Richard Harasym have since taken on the investigation.

“Does it sound bizarre, like the whole scenario? Yes, it does,” Harasym said.

Still, detectives said at this point, they have no reason to doubt the mother’s story.

“People do steal children for a variety of reasons,” Iarossi said.


All these years later, the investigators are still exploring new avenues.

An age progression photo was made around the time Bryan Dossantos-Gomes would have turned 14 years old. A new one is being developed now that he would be 18.

Detectives are again meeting with Bryan Dossantos-Gomes' parents, who still live in the area.

And maybe most importantly, investigators are working to get a clearer version of a key piece of evidence: the voice of the suspected kidnapper.

Police said the woman made phone calls to no one while Maria was in the SUV to try to convince her of the story she had told.

The messages were left on a phone at a pole shed in Fort Myers.

If detectives can figure out why that particular number was dialed, it could help break open the case.

“After 18 years, it's likely that someone is out there that heard something, knows something,” Iarossi said.

“For the family, that's who we do it for,” Harasym explained. “Not for us. We do it for the family. And we do it to find baby Bryan."


Eighteen years after he went missing, one thing remains: the belief that Bryan Dossantos-Gomes is out there somewhere.

“We haven't seen any evidence that this baby is deceased. We're treating it as a missing persons cases,” Iarossi said.

“He's not dead. That's the feeling I have in my soul. I know he's not dead,” Suarez said.

Still, Suarez worries Bryan Dossantos-Gomes, wherever he is, may never find out about his real family.
 
winknews.com

Fort Myers Police Department provides updates on kidnapped child cold case

The Fort Myers Police Department held a news conference regarding a 19-year-old missing child cold case.
winknews.com winknews.com

Fort Myers Police Department provides updates on kidnapped child cold case​

The Fort Myers Police Department held a news conference regarding a 19-year-old missing child cold case.

Police provided additional information and an artificially generated image of what Bryan Dos Santos Gomes may look like right now. He was reported missing on Dec. 1, 2006.

Two new investigators had since taken on the cold case, collectively saying that there is no evidence that Gomes is dead.

Nineteen years have passed since Bryan’s disappearance; however, police remain hopeful that Bryan is alive.

FMPD encouraged anyone with information to contact the police regarding this cold case.


NCMEC provided some additional information regarding the appearance of the alleged captor.
  • Heavyset, Hispanic female, late 20s at the time (in 2006).
  • Drove a late 1990s black SUV, possibly a Ford Explorer.
  • She claimed she had just given birth to a baby boy named Jose Guadalupe days before Dec.1, 2006, by C-section.
  • Had a car seat and diaper bag in the vehicle.
  • May have known someone who worked at Griffin Industries in 2006.
  • Claimed her husband was a truck driver and worked in the Dallas area.
  • A similar incident was reported that same day in Fort Myers. A woman out with her grandson was approached by a dark SUV but refused to get in. She reported the incident after seeing Bryan’s story on the news.

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www.missingkids.org

“I know he’s alive”: Renewed Search for Missing Infant

Maria Dos Santos Gomes has searched for her missing son, Bryan, every day for the last 18 years. For...
www.missingkids.org www.missingkids.org

“I know he’s alive”: Renewed Search for Missing Infant​

Maria Ramos Dos Santos has searched for her missing son, Bryan, every day for the last 18 years. For the first time publicly, Maria and her husband are speaking out about the frightening abduction and their hope for answers.

Now, with new investigators on the case, and a new image from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, can we finally bring Bryan Dos Santos Gomes home?

On Dec. 1, 2006, Maria and her friend Janice were leaving a doctor’s office in Fort Myers with their babies when they say a woman in a dark SUV approached them. She told them she was from Tampa and needed directions to a nearby neighborhood called Pine Manor, where she said her mother lived.

Maria and Janice told her they couldn’t help and continued on, boarding a bus to head home. Then later, when Maria, Janice and their two babies exited the bus, this unknown woman suddenly reappeared, having followed them, and again asked for help.

This time was different. Maria, Janice and the babies got into the woman's vehicle, and they directed the woman to Pine Manor. Once they arrived, the woman claimed she saw her mother’s car and started to drive the group back. This was the beginning of a nightmare.

When the unknown woman stopped to let them out, Janice and her daughter got out first – but then detectives say the driver pulled a knife and forced Maria and baby Bryan to stay...then sped off.

“I was so nervous,” said Maria. “I screamed to Janice, ‘She has a knife. She is crazy.’” Janice shouted for help, flagged down a passerby and called 911.

Meanwhile Maria and Bryan were driven about 15 miles away to a church parking lot in Estero, Florida. There, the driver forced Maria out of the vehicle at knifepoint.

“I yelled, ‘Take me home, take me home,’” said Maria. “Give me Bryan. Let me take Bryan.” The woman didn’t listen. She drove off with baby Bryan. This was the last time Bryan Dos Santos Gomes was seen.

“My wife called me...she said Bryan is gone,” Jurandir told NCMEC. “I drove very fast and when I got home, there were so many police cars. I was so upset. I was like, ‘Oh my God, oh my God.’”

New Clues, New Momentum​

Today, 18 years later, Fort Myers detectives Richard Harasym and Mike Iarossi are leading the investigation. They submitted Maria’s clothes and Janice’s cell phone from that day for DNA testing.

“It could lead us to the kidnapper or at least someone else who was in that vehicle,” Harasym said.

NCMEC is also releasing a new image, created by a forensic artist, to show what Bryan might look like today at 18 years old.

Another critical piece of evidence: the suspect’s voice. During the ride, the abductor used Janice’s phone to make a call – supposedly to her mother. But investigators say the number she dialed reached an answering machine at a business, Griffin Industries, also known as Shaw Irrigation, located at 8181 Kantanga Court in Fort Myers. Police recovered that message and are hoping someone in the public might recognize her voice. Listen here.


One theory is that the kidnapper may have been seeking to replace a baby she lost – or one she never had. This is a common motive for infant abductions, and we track those cases here at NCMEC. There have been 345 infants abducted since 1964. Sixteen of those children, including Bryan, are still missing.

“Everyone has to feel for them and everyone's goal should be to find baby Bryan,” said Detective Harasym. “It is heart wrenching. We have to get these parents their child back.”

“He’s going to come home,” Maria said. “Some people tell me he died, but I am his mom and I say no. He is not dead and every day I look. One day he come home.”
 
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