Amber Alert issued for sisters allegedly taken by father suspected of killing their mother

Police in Central California have issued an Amber Alert for two missing sisters who are believed to have been abducted by their mother’s suspected killer. 

The California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert on Wednesday afternoon for 3-year-old Arya Maldonado, and her sister, 2-year-old Alana Maldonado, whose mother was found dead at their home on Tuesday.

Officials believe the sisters were abducted by their father, 23-year-old Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz, of Hanford, in connection to the murder of their mother. 

Around 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, Kings County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence in Hanford, 40 miles south of Fresno, for a welfare check on a woman.

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Deputies found the woman dead from a gunshot wound.

Deputies said Maldonado-Cruz left the residence, with the girls whom he shared with the victim, driving a 2020 Hyundai Elantra, 4-door, grey in color, with a California License plate reading “8LZD084.”

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Officials said he is considered “armed and dangerous.”

Throughout the course of the investigation, detectives developed information that Maldonado-Cruz may have fled to Mexico.

Maldonado-Cruz is described by deputies as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing 215 lbs. with black hair and black eyes. 

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Police described Arya as 3 feet tall, weighing 25 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes, while Alana is described as 2 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 20 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes. It is unknown what either girl or Maldonado-Cruz was wearing.

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Authorities did not share any other details about how Maldonado-Cruz was named as a suspect or any other information about the crime scene.

Anyone with information regarding this case, or the whereabouts of Maldonado-Cruz or the children are urged to contact Det. Tyler Haener at (559) 670-9320 or (559) 852-2818 or Kings County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (559) 852-2720.