MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Six years ago, Liliana Moreno and her 8-year-old daughter Daniella vanished in Miami-Dade County. Moreno left her mobile phone and purse inside her apartment in Doral.
There were unfinished meal preparations. Her family from Colombia feared Daniella’s biological father, Gustavo Castaño, was to blame, but he was never charged with a crime.
On Monday, a few of them stood outside of a home where they believe Castaño lives. Moreno’s brother Eduardo Moreno, said they haven’t lost hope.
“We don’t want more lies. We don’t want more hiding information. We want him to come to us and say, ‘This is what really happened.’”
FBI Miami was still offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to solving the case. Detectives said the 41-year-old mother and daughter vanished in the area of West Okeechobee Road and Northwest 138 Street.
Castaño, who fathered Daniella during an extramarital affair, owned a warehouse nearby in Medley. There was a surveillance camera but the surveillance video wasn’t available, police said.
Eduardo Moreno said Castaño had always intended to keep his niece a secret from his wife and kids. Castaño and Moreno appeared to have an on-and-off relationship.
During the investigation, officers found Castaño near the area where they disappeared. He stabbed himself and was injured when an officer used his Taser gun.
Castaño refused to cooperate during the investigation and that decision haunts Moreno’s family.
“Every single year, it’s a pain because we don’t know what happened with them,” Eduardo Moreno said.
Castaño did not respond to their requests for answers. The FBI helped detectives with the Miami Dade and the Doral police departments with the case. They are asking anyone with information about the case to call the FBI at 754-703-2000.