Two young sisters, 3-year-old Arya Maldonado and 2-year-old Alana, who were abducted from their home in Kings County by their father after he allegedly murdered their mother, have been safely located, according to the California Highway Patrol (CHP).
The girls were the subject of an Amber Alert issued across Southern California on Wednesday morning after their father, 23-year-old Jonathan Maldonado Cruz, was suspected of shooting and killing their mother, Madeline Rose Cuevas, 22, in Hanford, approximately 200 miles north of Los Angeles.
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Authorities initially feared that Cruz might have fled to Mexico with the girls. However, on Thursday, the CHP confirmed that the Amber Alert was canceled after the girls were found safe and their father was arrested with the assistance of state and federal law enforcement agencies.
The Kings County Sheriff’s Department assured the public that the girls were unharmed and in good condition. The investigation into the murder and abduction continues.
The Amber Alert system, created in the 1990s in Texas after the tragic abduction and killing of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, has been credited with recovering over 1,200 children, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. In California, the CHP is the sole agency responsible for issuing Amber Alerts, which are broadcast to mobile devices and do not require prior registration. To stay informed about future alerts, individuals can follow the CHP Alerts page on social media.
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