A 1-year-old and her mother who were kidnapped in the Central Valley were located safe not far from where they were taken after an hourslong search involving a tri-county Amber Alert, officials said.
Deleyza Ceron was kidnapped from Porterville around 2 p.m. along with her mother, Maria Sanchez Palomares, who was also assaulted, according to the Porterville Police Department.
Officials became aware of the situation after being called to a home in the 100 block of South Ohio Street regarding a brawl between several individuals, authorities said.
Responding officers spoke with a Latino man who said he went to the location with Palomares and her toddler. There they were confronted by the men suspected of abducting them, Valentin Angel Villasenor and Juan Santos Martinez, he told police.
Villasenor and Martinez allegedly assaulted the man and struck him on the head with a handgun before forcing the woman and child into a vehicle and fleeing southbound on Ohio Street.
Villasenor and Palomares are in a relationship, investigators said. However, neither suspect is the child’s father.
Officials believe Palomares’ 10-year-old brother, Juan Regalado, could also have been taken.
An Ambert Alert had been activated for Kern, Tulare and San Bernardino counties as officials sought to locate the pair.
Around 9:45 p.m., Porterville police spotted the white SUV the men were traveling in unoccupied in the 100 block of South E Street. Minutes later, the victims were found unharmed inside a nearby home, officers said.
It was unclear whether Regalado was with the women.
The victims have been reunited with family, officials said.
Suspects Villasenor and Martinez, however, were able to flee on foot and were still outstanding Friday night.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts can contact Porterville police at 559-782-7400