What to Know
- The father of 21-year-old Leila Cavett said law enforcement had informed him that 38-year-old Shanon Ryan was arrested Saturday night in connection to his daughter's disappearance
- In a Facebook video, Ryan claimed he was with Cavett and her 2-year-old son at a Hollywood RaceTrac gas station the night of her disappearance
- According to jail records, Ryan was arrested on two counts of lying to a federal officer
The family of a young mother who went missing in South Florida last month confirmed on Sunday that an arrest was made in connection to their daughter's disappearance.
Curtis Cavett, the father of 21-year-old Leila Cavett, said law enforcement had informed him that 38-year-old Shanon Demar Ryan was arrested Saturday night.
According to Curtis, he was told that Ryan was the last person seen with Cavett at a RaceTrac gas station the night of her disappearance.
Curtis did not provide any further information for fear that it would impede the investigation.
"I just want to know the fact that my child is okay, and if she’s not, I have to deal with that," Curtis said.
According to Broward County jail records, Ryan was arrested by the U.S. Marshals on two counts of lying to a federal officer.
Ryan recently posted an hour-long Facebook video where he claimed he was with Cavett and her 2-year-old son Kamdyn in a Hollywood RaceTrac gas station. But, he said Cavett and her son left with other men.
Surveillance video recently released by the FBI revealed that Cavett was at that same gas station the night she went missing.
Local
The search for Cavett began on July 26, when her son was found wandering alone barefoot in the parking lot of a Miramar apartment complex.
FBI officials said Cavett, who had previously been living in Georgia, came down to Florida on July 24th, with a photo showing her at a Cracker Barrel in Vero Beach near Interstate 95 that day.
Cavett was last seen near a Walmart parking lot near U.S. 441 and Hollywood Boulevard the night before her son was found. Her vehicle was found unattended in Hollywood on July 28.
The FBI would not confirm if they had a person of interest at this point.
The federal law enforcement agency is working with local law enforcement on the case and is asking anyone with information to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
