Crime & Safety

Amber Alert: 4 Missing Children Found

Authorities, however, are still looking for the parents.

Originally posted at 1:23 p.m. March 18, 2014. Edited to add new details.

Four children who were abducted -- allegedly by their biological parents -- from their maternal grandmother's home in Boyle Heights were found safe today at the U.S.-Mexico border.

The children were found by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents about 9:30 a.m., according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Bruce Borihanh.

"They are in good health," Borihanh said, adding that LAPD detectives were sent to bring the children back to Los Angeles, where they will be placed in protective custody.

Find out what's happening in Culver Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The children were brought back to the LAPD's Hollenbeck Station tonight.

Warrants have been issued for the arrests of the parents, Enrique Felix and Rosa Chairez, both 28, who remain at large, Borihanh said. They are believed to be in Mexico.

Find out what's happening in Culver Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The parents are suspected of abducting the children -- 7-year-old Enrique Felix, 5-year-old Justin Felix and twin 12-month-old girls Veronica and Janet Felix -- at 12:30 p.m. Friday while the youngsters were in the care of their grandmother at her residence in the 1400 block of North Indiana Street, police said.

Social workers had placed the children in protective custody because their father was physically violent toward them and their mother, LAPD Capt. Martin Baeza said.

A restraining order against the parents required that they only see their children by scheduled appointment and under the supervision of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, LAPD Sgt. Eddie Ortiz said.

"They went to the residence of the grandmother and they forcibly took the children and left the location," Baeza said.

A statewide Amber Alert was issued on Saturday morning, but that alert was canceled today when the children were found.

--City News Service


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.