Abducted 4-year-old told investigators how Broward triple murder unfolded, records show

The 4-year-old girl who, deputies say, witnessed her father gunning down her mother, her grandfather and a neighbor recounted the events leading up to — and following — the harrowing Tamarac triple murder early Sunday morning, court records show.

Seraphine said she was sitting on the couch in her living room of her home in the 5800 block of North Plum Bay Parkway when her father, 43-year-old Nathan Alan Gingles, barged in through the back door, according to a less- redacted arrest affidavit released Wednesday. He then shot her grandfather David Ponzer, 64, “with a long black gun.”

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Ponzer was shot around 6:30 a.m. while drinking coffee on the patio. Nathan, the child said, uttered “Bye Bye” after shooting Ponzer to death.

READ MORE: Abducted child witnessed father gunning down mother, 2 others in Broward, deputies say

The girl said she saw Nathan chase her mother Mary Catherine Gingles, 34, into the street, where they began fighting on the ground. She told detectives that her mother screamed for help and banged on the doors of several homes in the neighborhood — before rushing into 36-year-old Andrew Ferrin’s house across the street.

While witnessing the murders unfold, the child said Nathan shot Mary “a hundred” times, according to the affidavit. Surveillance footage captured Nathan entering the home, and 10 gunshots ringing out shortly after.

Mary and Ferrin’s bodies were found in a bedroom. Mary’s body was lying on the floor, under the bedroom window; Ferrin’s was in bed, covered in a blanket, the document states.

They were both fatally shot. Mary, the affidavit says, had serious injuries to her face and two taser prongs under her right shoulder blade.

The child described the murders as her mother and grandfather being “defeated,” records show. She stated that she wanted Mary to “defeat” her father but, ultimately “her dad won.”

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As Nathan headed toward his car, he tossed a black backpack into a round black trashcan, the girl told investigators. The backpack has yet to be recovered.

BSO dive team deputies did, however, recover a handgun — a black Sig Sauer P320 — and a suppressor, in a body of water just less than half a mile away from the slayings, the affidavit states. Investigators are comparing the weapon to the shell casings found on the murder scenes.

The girl said Nathan took her to a “big box” store, where he told her that she would never see her mother or grandfather again — and they were going to visit family in Texas.

BSO deputies arrested Nathan in a North Lauderdale Walmart Sunday after the agency issued an Amber Alert for Seraphine.

This story was originally published February 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM.

Grethel Aguila

Miami Herald

Grethel covers courts and the criminal justice system for the Miami Herald. She graduated from the University of Florida (Go Gators!), speaks Spanish and Arabic and loves animals, traveling, basketball and good storytelling. Grethel also attends law school part time.