PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — A 2-month-old boy and a 1-year-old girl missing from the Lake Worth area have been found safe, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued an Amber Alert Monday for Cristhian Ariel Ruiz Maradiaga and Ariana Jasmine Maradiaga.
According to the FDLE, the children were last seen with Marjorie Maradiaga, 19, in the 3400 block of West San Salvador Street, who is the mother of both children.
The FDLE had said they might be in the company of Santos Diaz Escobar, 21.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said a fight between Escobar and the homeowner led to Escobar forcing the children and their mother into an older gray Lexus at gunpoint.
Just before 5 p.m., the sheriff's office said the children, Marjorie Maradiaga and Santos Diaz Escobar were found in Lake Worth Beach. They are currently interviewing everybody to get their side of the story.
Investigators said they believe Escobar had a gun when he forced the woman and two children into the car.
WPTV reporter Ethan Stein that she recognized the two children after living in the neighborhood called Lantana Cascade. She said she’s shocked a kidnapping could happen near her home.
"It’s just scary," Darchangelo said. "It makes you realize anybody could snap. I mean you never know, you could be walking by me, you know, it’s just crazy."
Lantana Cascade is managed by Bayshore Home Sales, according the company’s website. It does have a security gate.
WPTV reached out to the company late Monday night and didn’t hear back.
