Two young girls who authorities say were abducted by their father after he allegedly killed their mother have been found safe, and the man taken into custody, officials said Thursday.
The situation prompted an Amber Alert Wednesday that included San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange and Riverside counties. Authorities feared the suspect may have been headed to Mexico – and they were right.
According to the Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz, 23, is suspected of fatally shooting the children’s mother, Madeline Rose Cuevas, 22, on Tuesday in Hanford. He then was believed to have fled with the children – Arya, 3, and Alana, 2.
UPDATE ON HOMICIDE & KIDNAPPING CASE
— Kings County Sheriff's Office (@KingsCoSheriff) January 30, 2025
The KCSO Detective Unit, with the assistance of our State and Federal law enforcement partners, have located Alana and Arya Maldonado safe and have taken Jonathan Maldonado-Cruz into custody. pic.twitter.com/fxnTD5BnXs
Sheriff’s officials on Thursday posted a photo online of the two children after they were found. They appeared to be safe and unharmed. Maldonado-Cruz was in custody.
The Fresno Bee reported that authorities located the children and Maldonado-Cruz in Tijuana. He apparently surrendered at the U.S.-Mexico border in San Ysidro.
Detectives located the suspect and the children by tracking signals from both his cellphone and his slain girlfriend’s, Kings County Sheriff David Robinson told reporters.
Officials initially had not specified where they arrested Maldonado-Cruz or where the kids were found.
Updated 7:05 p.m. Jan. 30, 2025
