Four Southern California children allegedly taken by force from their grandmother’s home by their non-custodial parents were located near the U.S.-Mexico border Tuesday morning, bringing an end to the Amber Alert issued by authorities for the children.
Officials deactivated the Amber Alert and said the children were found safe at around 10:15 a.m. They were turned over to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the San Ysidro Port of Entry near San Diego.
The children's parents, however, remained at large and may have possibly crossed the border into Mexico, according to officials.
No further details were immediately released by authorities. The Los Angeles Police Department planned to hold a press conference regarding this case around 4 p.m. Tuesday.
LAPD officers planned to pick up the children from the San Ysidro Port of Entry and bring them back to Los Angeles.
The kids – identified as Enrique Felix, 7; Justin Felix, 5; and 1-year-old twins Veronica and Janeth Felix – were allegedly taken by their parents from their grandmother’s home in Los Angeles’ Boyle Heights area at 12 :30 p.m. Friday.
The parents are identified as Enrique Felix and Rose Chaidez.
Police believe the parents may be traveling in a green Ford Expedition SUV with the California license plate 4LPF643.
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Felix is described as a 28-year-old Hispanic man. He’s 5-foot-10 with brown eyes and black hair. Chaidez is described as a Hispanic woman, 5-foot-2 with red hair and brown eyes. According to investigators, both parents have a history of violence.
The children were living with their grandmother after being taken into protective custody by the Department of Children and Family Services, which then placed them in the care of their grandmother, police said.