Three Wichita children and mother found safe after Amber Alert

For the latest developments in this breaking news story: go to: The story behind Tuesday’s Amber Alert

Related coverage:

Why you didn’t get an Amber Alert on your phone

Amber Alert case began as robbery call to 911, police say

UPDATE: 3 children, mother in Amber Alert found safe, police say

UPDATE, 9:14 a.m.: Wichita Police Department releases statement about details of the case, attached to this story as a PDF.

UPDATE, 8:48 a.m.: Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay said on Twitter the Amber Alert case “was not a random act, and people involved know each other.” He said the department was still actively investigating.

UPDATE, 8:47 a.m.: The black SUV has been found, police say.

Wichita police have found three children and their mother after about a nine-hour search and an Amber Alert was issued Tuesday.

Scanner traffic at around 7:50 a.m. Tuesday said the children and mother had been found. Officer Charley Davidson, of the Wichita Police Department confirmed that the four had been found. He said around 8:47 a.m. that police also found the missing Ford Expedition connected to the case.

Melissa Gifford and her children, 2-year-old Grayson Gifford, 8-year-old Aiden Ruiz and 8-year-old Madison Ruiz, were taken from their home in southeast Wichita at around 11:14 p.m. Monday, according to the Amber Alert issued about the children and according to 911 dispatch.

The Amber Alert was issued for the children at around 3 a.m. Tuesday and was canceled shortly after 8 a.m.

The children and mother were reportedly taken from their home near 1800 S. Lexington by Roque Arellano Jr., who goes by the street name “Flako” and was armed with a handgun, and his girlfriend Jennifer Cruz. Arellano and Cruz were taken into custody around 5:16 a.m. from 5800 W. Kellogg Drive.

The four were taken in a 1999 black Ford Expedition with a 60-day Kansas tag and Kansas license plate number B32894. The vehicle was registered to Melissa Gifford, according to the Amber Alert. That vehicle was found shortly after the four were located in Wichita.

Anyone with information about the case should call 911.

This story was originally published December 6, 2016 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Three Wichita children and mother found safe after Amber Alert."