Father of missing girl loses eye after stunned in face with Taser by police, attorney says

Gustavo Castano found Thursday night with self-inflicted stab wound

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The father of an 8-year-old girl who was reported missing with her mother last week has lost an eye after he was stunned in the face with a Taser by Miami-Dade police, his attorney, Michael Grieco, said Monday.

Gustavo Castano was taken to Kendall Regional Medical Center Thursday night after he stabbed himself in the throat, police said.

Grieco said the Taser's prongs went into his client's eye and doctors had to remove the eye to get it out.

"As somebody who has been involved in law enforcement for 16 years, I can't picture a circumstance in which tasing somebody in the eyeball is appropriate," Grieco said. 

According to Grieco, Castano is expected to remain in the hospital for at least a week.

Castano is the father of Daniela Moreno, 8, who was reported missing last Tuesday with her mother.

The woman and child haven't been seen or heard from since Moreno's sister spoke with her on the telephone about 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said they assisted in a search for the mother and daughter on Monday with K-9s in the area of Southwest Eighth Street and Krome Avenue. No evidence of the two was found.

Miami-Dade police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta said investigators received information that Castano was planning to hurt himself last week, so they issued a countywide alert for him.

According to Zabaleta, detectives near Northwest 138th Street and Okeechobee Road found Castano sitting inside a pickup truck threatening to harm himself with a box cutter.

Police intervened and removed the box cutter, but not before he stabbed himself, Zabaleta said.

Police released a statement Monday night about the stun gun event, which stated that Castano raised the box cutter "as a shield to deflect the prongs," which resulted in the prong hitting him in the eye. 

Castano was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

The truck was impounded for further investigation.

Authorities have searched lakes and fields throughout the county in their search for the mother and daughter. They have also searched Castano's home and car, as well as a warehouse connected to him.

Police have not called Castano a suspect or person of interest in the case, but said they have questioned anybody who knew the family.

"It seems like law enforcement has kind of put him out into the public eye," Grieco said. "He wants nothing more than everybody else does than see these two woman back safe."

A vigil for the mother and daughter will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday  at  Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 11691 NW 25th Street. 

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of the woman and child is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
 


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.