New tip sparks search for 'Baby Bryan' in Washington state 20 years after Fort Myers kidnapping

FORT MYERS, Fla.(WINK) — Fresh momentum has breathed new life into one of Southwest Florida’s most heartbreaking cold cases, sending investigators hunting for clues thousands of miles away in the Pacific Northwest.

A new tip, generated out of Tacoma, Washington, has led the Fort Myers Police Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to refocus their timeline on "Baby Bryan"—the infant snatched from his mother's arms at knifepoint in December 2006.

Investigators believe Bryan Dos Santos Gomes, who would now be 19 years old, could be living in Washington state entirely unaware of his true identity.

"The Fort Myers Police Department is certain that someone knows where Baby Bryan is," said Investigator Richard Harasym of the FMPD Cold Case Unit. "We believe Baby Bryan is still out there, still alive."

A Sudden Break and a Surprised Family

The development came to light Wednesday after NCMEC issued a fresh news release. When WINK Investigates contacted Bryan’s parents for comment, his father revealed that we were the first to inform them of the active lead out West.

Addressing the communication gap, Detective Harasym noted that police protocols dictate vetting leads before involving grieving families.

"Normally, we don't go to the family with every tip we receive," Harasym said, noting he personally visited the parents at 6:30 a.m. the following morning to break down the details. "I explained to them how the tip generated, what the tip involved. They're clearly on board with that... that was just timing on the part of the release."

Harasym additionally confirmed that Bryan's parents were personally cleared as suspects early in the investigation.

While the family declined an on-camera interview regarding the Washington tip, their resolve remains unchanged since they last spoke to WINK Investigates in 2021.

"I have faith I’m going to find him," Bryan's mother said in a previous interview, her pain as raw as the day of the abduction. "If someone recognizes that picture, please contact [police], because this is Bryan’s home."

High-Tech Tools: DNA and Audio Forensic Gold

Behind the scenes, the FMPD Cold Case Unit is bypassing traditional brick-and-mortar policework, turning instead to modern genetic genealogy.

Detectives are actively monitoring commercial DNA databases like 23andMe and Ancestry.com, anticipating that an online search by a curious teenager could instantly crack the two-decade-old mystery.

"By uploading his DNA, it will kick back to us that he is Baby Bryan," Harasym explained. "If a kid's unsure of who their parents may be... they can reach right out to the Fort Myers Police Department."

In tandem with genetic tracking, authorities are re-releasing a critical piece of audio evidence: a phone call believed to have been made by the female kidnapper shortly after the abduction. The audio, enhanced by the U.S. Secret Service, features a voice detectives hope someone will finally recognize.

The suspect from the 2006 abduction was described as a woman who fled the scene in a dark SUV.

Current Footprint of the Investigation

Despite the specificity of the Tacoma tip, Fort Myers authorities are practicing measured caution. FMPD has not yet deployed a task force to Washington state, opting instead to thoroughly vet the information from Southwest Florida first.

When contacted by WINK Investigates, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department in Tacoma stated they had not yet been formally looped into the active lead by Florida officials.

For now, law enforcement is relying on a unified public effort to bridge the 3,000-mile gap between Fort Myers and Washington.

"If someone knows something, say something," Harasym urged. "This takes a community effort, a group effort to solve these things, and to bring closure to the family."

Have a tip? Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Bryan Dos Santos Gomes or the identity of the individual in the suspect sketch is urged to contact the Fort Myers Police Department or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.