IDENTIFIED: Tulare County Kidnappers Spark Amber Alert. Children Now Safe.

Tulare County Kidnappers Spark Amber Alert. Children Now Safe.

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 6 months ago on

December 16, 2024

David Steen (left), 57, and Makenzie Morelli, 29, were arrested Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. They face charges of kidnapping, parental abduction, and burglary after allegedly taking two children from a home in Earlimart. (Tulare County SO)

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Around 12:30 a.m. on Monday, deputies responded to a kidnapping report in the 800 block of Market Street in Earlimart, the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The children’s guardian told authorities that her sister, the biological mother of the children, along with three others, entered her home, assaulted her, and took her five-year-old son and six-year-old daughter.

Detectives assumed control of the investigation, and an Amber Alert was issued. Shortly thereafter, the suspect, Makenzie Morelli, 29, contacted law enforcement and agreed to return the children.

Both children were safely recovered and returned to family members, unharmed.

Detectives arrested Morelli and David Steen, 57, charging them with kidnapping, parental abduction, and burglary.

Got a Tip?

Authorities are continuing to search for two additional suspects linked to the incident.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is urged to contact detective M. Ruelas or detective C. Sailer, or Sgt. J. Nicholson at the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 733-6218. Tips can also be submitted anonymously via tcso@tipnow.com or through text/voicemail at 559-725-4194.

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Anthony W. Haddad,

Multimedia Journalist

Anthony W. Haddad, who graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with his undergraduate degree and attended Fresno State for a MBA, is the Swiss Army knife of GV Wire. He writes stories, manages social media, and represents the organization on the ground.