Authorities have issued an Amber Alert for two young girls, ages 2 and 3, who were abducted early Tuesday morning by their father, Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz, following the fatal shooting of their mother in Hanford.
The Amber Alert was extended to San Diego County.
Deputies with the Kings County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) responded to a welfare check at a residence on the 11500 block of Fourth Place around 4 p.m. on January 28, where they discovered an adult female deceased from a gunshot wound. Investigators later identified the victim as the children’s mother and named Maldonado-Cruz, 23, as the primary suspect.
Detectives believe Maldonado-Cruz fled the scene around 1 a.m. Tuesday, taking the two children with him. He was last seen driving a gray 2020 Hyundai Elantra with California license plate 8LZD084.
With the assistance of the California Highway Patrol, an Amber Alert was activated in an effort to locate the missing children. As of Wednesday morning, investigators believe Maldonado-Cruz may have fled to Mexico.
;Law enforcement officials are urging the public to share the alert and report any sightings of Maldonado-Cruz, his vehicle, or the children. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Tyler Haener at (559) 670-9320 or (559) 852-2818, or the Kings County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (559) 852-2720. Anonymous tips can also be submitted at (559) 852-4554.
Authorities stress that Maldonado-Cruz is considered armed and dangerous.
