The boys reported missing from their home in Escondido and spotted on video getting off a commuter train in Oceanside have been found, police confirmed.
The Escondido Police Department released the photos of two brothers - age 9 and 11 - who were last seen in their home at 10 p.m. Monday.
Family members said the boys were in their home on West Valley Parkway at 10 p.m. Monday, police said. The home is located west of Interstate 15 and north of Del Dios Highway.
The boys’ mother, Viviana Valdez thanked the community, police and the media for helping to find her boys.
"I wanted to say thank you," said Valdez. "I can't even imagine what my sons were going through but they are safe and home and that's all I ws hoping for."
Valdez’s brother found the children in Oceanside Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m mad that they left, don’t get me wrong,” said Valdez. “But I think the lesson is to pay more attention to them and sitting down and finding out the reason they left.”
Valdez said Tuesday evening she was not sure yet why the boys decided to leave, but said it could have been prompted by her 11-year-old son.
“My older son has been having a hard time making friends and has been lonely so I think that had a lot to do with it,” said Valdez.
Local
Around 1 p.m. Tuesday, Escondido police said the brothers were spotted on cameras getting off of a Sprinter commuter train in Oceanside around 5 a.m.
The children were located around 1:30 p.m. in Oceanside, unharmed by their uncle.
Valdez also thanked a stranger, a woman she said housed and fed her kids, getting them out of the cold before they were discovered by the uncle.
“I don’t wish this upon anyone. I advise everyone to take care of your children, to hug them and hold them tight because you never know,” Valdez said.
According to Lieutenant Scott Walters of the Escondido Police Department, there was no evidence this was an abduction.
Police units were sent to the school in San Marcos where the brothers are students.
Escondido Police tweeted about the boys Tuesday morning. The FBI San Diego Twitter account retweeted it.
Neighbors said the boys were often outside their home in the mobile home park playing or riding scooters.
