BREAKING: Kings County Children Found After Amber Alert Issued, Suspect in Custody

Local

Kings County Children Found After Amber Alert Issued, Suspect in Custody

By Anthony W. Haddad

Published 7 months ago on

January 30, 2025

The Kings County Sheriff's Office has located missing children Alana and Arya Maldonado safe and arrested Jonathan Maldonado-Cruz. (Kings County SO)

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Update: Father took the two children to Mexico where he later surrendered to authorities.

Original Story

The Kings County Sheriff’s Office Detective Unit, with assistance from state and federal law enforcement agencies, has located Alana and Arya Maldonado safe and taken their father, Jonathan Maldonado-Cruz, 23, into custody, they said in a statement.

The sheriff’s office thanked the community for its help in spreading the word, noting the case developed quickly due to public support.

Details of the Incident

Authorities issued an Amber Alert for two young children after their mother was found dead from a gunshot wound Tuesday afternoon in Hanford.

Deputies discovered the woman’s body during a welfare check at a home near Orchard Drive and 4th Place around 4 p.m. that day.

Investigators identified Maldonado-Cruz as the suspect and believe he left the home with his two children, ages 2 and 3, around 1 a.m. Tuesday in a gray 2020 Hyundai Elantra.

The California Highway Patrol assisted with the search.

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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.