Cathedral City police reunite family after Amber Alert
The two boys sought in an overnight search that sparked an Amber Alert have been reunited with their family.
Watch 12PM Live Report as police continue to search for the suspect that triggered the Amber Alert
Cathedral City Police Chief Travis Walker credited the public, social media and good old fashioned police work for locating two young children who were abducted Thursday night and found safe early Friday morning.
Watch: Surveillance video shows suspect driving stolen car
Walker said the boys were located at 2:29 a.m. Friday morning by a Riverside County Sheriff’s Deputy who was patrolling south of the city of Desert Hot Springs.
“He drove past a church and found a vehicle matching the description of a vehicle we were looking for,” Walker said. “Upon checking the vehicle, he was able to see the license matched. And when we got a couple officers there they were able to locate the young children in the back of the vehicle. and recovered them safely,” Walker continued.
Walker credited an Amber Child Abduction Alert last night for helping in the process of getting the word out.
The alert sounded loud tones on people’s cell phones throughout Riverside County.
Walker also said the use of social media benefited in spreading information on the case.
“Our partners from the FBI contacted us. Other agencies reached out and offered support, and we ended up having law enforcement agencies from three counties here searching for the brothers,” Walker said. “So it was a tremendous response from not only the media, but community, as well as our partners from law enforcement to really achieve a successful ending to this event,” Walker added.
Walker said police were alarmed when the stolen vehicle was not abandoned quickly, as typically happens in this type of case.
He said it was an emotional roller coaster of a night, but also an honor to see the family reunited Friday morning.
Walker said he’d make any recommendations to the District Attorneys Office based on the evidence collected, and circumstances for the crime.
But they will be looking at charges to include stolen vehicle, grand theft auto, kidnapping and child endangerment.
The person who stole the car is still at large.
The vehicle was stolen when a babysitter left the car on outside of a Cathedral City home.
As for the baby sitter who left the children in a running car, Walker said all parties have been interviewed and they don’t see any gross negligence from the baby sitter.
Walker added, “However it is not wise to leave children in the car, even for that short period of time. And the baby sitter described it as just being a few seconds that they ran in the house to grab and item and come back out and somebody had taken advantage and hopped in the car and drove off.”
More: I-Team and Stands for You investigations
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