Sheriff: Man releases daughter in Lakeland after 24-hour standoff before shooting himself

LAKELAND, Fla. — A 6-year-old girl caught in the middle of a Polk County standoff for more than 24 hours is safe after her father released her Sunday afternoon before shooting himself, according to Sheriff Grady Judd.

Neighbors were forced to evacuate from their Lakeland neighborhood while deputies worked to save the girl and talk her father into giving up.

Polk County Sheriff's Office deputies responded around 1 p.m. Saturday to Dartmouth Road near Walt Williams Road in Lakeland.

Gary Cauley, 39, was holding his 6-year-old daughter hostage at a Lakeland home, refusing to exit his house, deputies said.

Cauley told his daughter to go to the deputies outside Sunday afternoon because he was going to kill himself, which he did 40 minutes after releasing his daughter.

Armed deputies covered the streets and rooftops of the Lakeland neighborhood, sending in a robot to communicate with Cauley after he released his daughter.

Negotiators also used chemical gas to try to get Cauley to come out of the home—which he did before shooting himself.

"Why in the world would you subject your children to this?  Because this will be everlasting as time goes on.  And we're going to make sure she gets the appropriate mental health counseling,” said Judd.

Cox Media Group