LOS ANGELES, CA – Two young sisters who were the subject of an Amber Alert after being taken by their father, following the alleged killing of their mother, have been located safely, authorities said Thursday.
The California Highway Patrol canceled the Amber Alert for 3-year-old Arya Maldonado and 2-year-old Alana after confirming that both children had been found. Their father, Jonathan Maldonado Cruz, 23, was taken into custody with assistance from state and federal law enforcement agencies, according to the Kings County Sheriff’s Department.
Authorities allege that Cruz shot and killed his former partner, 22-year-old Madeline Rose Cuevas, at a home in Hanford, a city approximately 200 miles north of Los Angeles. The Kings County Sheriff’s Department said the homicide took place before Cruz fled with the children, prompting law enforcement to issue the Amber Alert early Wednesday.
Concerned that Cruz might attempt to leave the country, authorities coordinated with federal agencies to track his movements. While officials did not immediately release details on where or how the suspect and children were located, the sheriff’s department confirmed that the girls were unharmed.
Cuevas was identified by family members as the victim in the case, according to local media reports. Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive for the killing, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Amber Alert system was created in the 1990s in Texas following the abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman. Since then, it has been used nationwide to help locate missing children, with more than 1,200 recoveries reported as of December 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In California, Amber Alerts are issued exclusively by the CHP, which broadcasts them through mobile devices, social media, and highway signs in an effort to aid law enforcement and the public in locating abducted children.
