AMBER Alert Discontinued After Two Girls Found Safe in Dilley, Texas

Two girls who were abducted in Dilley, Texas, on Tuesday have been found safe, authorities said. The girls, Bea Borrego, 6, and Maya Borrego, 8, were last seen at 11 a.m. on the 100 block of West Buena Vista Street. They were reportedly taken by Cassandra Alvarez, 27, who was driving a maroon Mazda 3.

An AMBER Alert was issued for the girls, and authorities were searching for Alvarez. The alert also mentioned the description of the abducted girls which stated Maya and Bea had black hair and brown eyes. Before their disappearance, the former was wearing a pink T-shirt and blue jeans, whereas Bea was spotted in a black shirt. Cassandra Alvarez was later found and arrested. The girls were unharmed.


The cause of the abduction is under investigation.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), more than 3,000 children have been reported missing in Texas since 2021. Of those cases, 3,757 have been resolved, and 33 Amber Alerts have been issued for 40 cases.

In 2022, NCMEC reported that around 40 children went missing in Texas. The majority of these disappearances occurred in June, which marks the start of the summer break. A majority of the children were reported missing from their residences.

About AMBER Alerts

AMBER Alerts are issued when law enforcement believes a child has been abducted and is in danger. The alerts are broadcast on radio, television, and other media outlets, and they can also be sent to mobile devices.

AMBER Alerts were first used in 1996 after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted and murdered in Arlington, Texas. Since then, Amber Alerts have helped to locate hundreds of missing children.

FAQs

Why is it called the AMBER Alert?
AMBER stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, TX, and then brutally murdered.

What happens in AMBER Alert?
Once law enforcement has determined that a child has been abducted and the abduction meets AMBER Alert criteria, law enforcement notifies broadcasters and state transportation officials. AMBER Alerts interrupt regular programming and are broadcast on radio and television and DOT highway signs.