Teen charged in University of Florida student's disappearance

Christian Aguilar missing since Thursday

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The search continued for a missing University of Florida student as a suspect was charged in connection with his disappearance on Monday.

Pedro Bravo was charged with Depriving a Victim of Medical Care, a third-degree felony, after he was released from a psychiatric evaluation. He was booked into the Alachua County jail.

According to investigators, Christian Aguilar got into a fight with Bravo. Aguilar's father said the fight was over a girlfriend. Bravo reportedly told police he punched Aguilar and left him by a field on the UF campus.

No one was home when Local 10 knocked on Bravo's family home on Monday. Aguilar and Bravo went to Doral Academy Preparatory School together. Bravo was attending community college in the area.

High school classmates of Aguilar, a graduate of Doral Academy, learned of his disappearance on Monday.

"Good morning, students. I'm saddened to report this morning that one of our former graduates, Christian Aguilar, has been reported missing," said Douglas Rodriguez, the principal at Doral Academy Preparatory School, as he broke the news to students on Monday morning. "The school is starting a fund that will support the family of Christian."

Aguilar's brother, Alex, is a junior at Doral Academy. He and his father, Carlos Aguilar, have been searching for Christian in Gainesville since Friday.

"Look how many people are searching for my son," Carlos Aguilar said Monday. "We think that this is one of the right -- every time they taking somebody up from here, it's because we are finding information that is relevant."

Police in Gainesville said surveillance video and a receipt led them to search one area.

Christian Aguilar

Cathy Kononoff, a teacher at Doral Academy, saw Aguilar was missing while watching the news late Sunday.

"They said his name and I just started screaming," said Kononoff. "It's very hard, very hard."

Four teachers from Doral Academy had gone up to Gainesville over the weekend to help with the search. Family and high school friends from South Florida were also aiding with the search on Monday.

"Everyone doesn't believe it, like it's a shock. I would never expect something like this to happen to Christian. He's got so much ahead of him. He's like the smartest guy I know, the sweetest guy I know," said. Alyssa D'Bazo.

Many of the classmates knew Bravo, too.

"I didn't that they still had been friends. I thought that they stopped," said Nicole Montero.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Gainesville Police Department at 352-393-7659.