SURREY RCMP on Sunday said that through investigative efforts, their Serious Crime Unit identified a rural property in Alberta, just outside of the town of Edson where the two children for whom an Amber Alert had been issued on July 19 were believed to be.
The children were allegedly abducted by their mother. They were located safely on Saturday evening and the Amber alert was cancelled.
Surrey RCMP said that the Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team was engaged, as their top priority was to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
On July 29, at approximately 7:20 p.m., the team entered the property where they located the two children and three adults. Their mother and her boyfriend were arrested and the third adult was detained. The children were taken to their father who was waiting with investigators at a nearby RCMP detachment in Alberta.
The property they were on was secured for a full search to be conducted on Sunday.
On Sunday morning, the mother was charged with two counts of abduction in contravention of a custody order and her boyfriend was charged with two counts of abduction of a person under the age of 14. Both remain in custody in Alberta awaiting their next court appearance.
During the 11-day Amber Alert activation, 435 tips were received from all over British Columbia, Alberta and even as far away as New Brunswick. In each instance, local police were engaged and assisted in following up on the information.
“Our investigators remained open to all possibilities at every stage of the Amber Alert, and worked diligently around the clock to advance the investigation and bring these children home safely,” Surrey RCMP said.
“Surrey RCMP received invaluable assistance from our policing partners in Alberta, who stepped in to provide support without hesitation. We are deeply grateful to the Edson RCMP, Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit, Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team, and RCMP Air Services. Their combined efforts played a vital role in helping us safely locate and recover the children.
“We sincerely appreciate the assistance from the public, media, and other policing and community partners, who all played an important role in this investigation.
“We recognize that many people have been following this investigation closely since the Amber Alert was issued and that there are many questions. However, we are limited to the details that we can provide as this matter is now before the courts.
“The children have been reunited with their family, who are extremely grateful. This is the outcome we have all been hoping for, and it is the direct result of the hard work and perseverance of the investigative team.”