HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – There’s still no sign of Leila Cavett, whose toddler was found without his mother 4 days ago. On Thursday, Hollywood PD told Local 10 “no developments.”
Cavett’s grandmother, Carol Ferdinand, who arrived in South Florida on Wednesday with other family members from Tennessee, said she is not only concerned about the whereabouts of her granddaughter, but also about her 2-year-old grandson that remains in state custody.
The missing-mom mystery began on Sunday morning when Cavett’s son — identified by family as two-year-old Kamdyn Cavett Arnold — was found wandering alone in the parking lot of the Edge Apartments, 1860 SW 68th Ave. in Miramar, near the Florida Turnpike.
“I think she’s being held hostage. I’m not for sure, you know, but someone could’ve gave her some drugs. She would have never left her baby, never. That’s my granddaughter —I know her,” Ferdinand said.
The only clue so far is Cavett’s truck, a mid to late 1990s white Chevy pick-up that was the last vehicle the family said the mother was driving. It had a Baby on Board tag in the passenger side window.
Miramar police found the truck parked near a Walmart store on US 441 and Hollywood Boulevard.
“I have no knowledge of where the truck come from. Last time I knew, she had a car,” Ferdinand said.
Ferdinand would like to see Kamdyn who is being cared for by the Department of Children and Families, and is staying with a foster family, according to Miramar PD.
Local 10 was informed that a hearing won’t be held until mid-August.
“He shouldn’t be there,” she said. “We have a beautiful home he can come home to, you know?”
For more than 24 hours, it was a mystery as to who the little boy was until family members were alerted that his photo was being circulated by Miramar police.
Cavett’s family is still puzzled as to why her child would be found in Florida and if she was in the area, why?
“That’s the main question that we’re trying to figure out now. We don’t know of her having any friends or family out here,” her sister Gina Lewis said.
On her Facebook page, Leila Cavett says she works at Dunkin’ and that she lives in Atlanta, Ga. She lists Kamdyn’s birthday as April 2, 2018.
One of Cavett’s sisters told Local 10: “I FaceTimed her on July 17. We were on the phone for about an hour and she was fine. She didn’t have any plans to come to Florida, so we’re very confused right now.”
Detectives are asking for the public’s help to locate Cavett, who they are now identifying as a missing person. Call the Hollywood Police Department at (954) 764-4357(HELP) or 954-967-4411. Tipsters can e-mail or text to hollywoodpdtips@hollywoodfl.org. Information can also be given to Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-8477(TIPS) or www.browardcrimestoppers.org.