An AMBER alert has been issued for two children, aged 2 and 4, last seen in South Los Angeles who authorities believe were abducted by their parents, according to local reports.
Tiffany Bryant, 39, and David James, 53, were last seen with the two young children, Wyman Bryant, 4, and Willow Bryant, 2, on August 14 at 3 p.m. state authorities told ABC7.
The two children were reported missing after the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services visited their home and no one was present, the outlet reported. It is not clear why the department was visiting.
California Highway Patrol car on the interstate freeway as officer Matthew Musselmann stops a motorist suspected of speeding on April 23, 2020, in Anaheim, California. California Highway Patrol recently announced that two young children from LA are missing, and the LAPD issued an AMBER alert.
Chris Carlson/Associated Press
The California Highway Patrol also reported they were seen driving in a champagne colored 2008 Buick Enclave with paper license plates, and named Bryant and James as suspects in their post on X.
AMBER ALERT – Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, Imperial and San Diego Counties Last seen: Vermont Avenue, and W. 83rd Street, Los Angeles@LASDHQ
IF SEEN, CALL 9-1-1 pic.twitter.com/BMEv4huKC9— CHP – Alerts (@CHPAlerts) August 19, 2024
Prior to issuing the AMBER alert, the California Highway Patrol released an Endangered Missing Advisory on behalf of the LAPD on August 16, according to ABC7.
Wyman is described to be 3 feet and five inches tall, with blonde hair and brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a blue shirt, pink shorts, and pink shoes.
Willow is 2 feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing a blue shirt and gray shorts.
Bryant is described as 5 feet and 4 inches tall with blonde hair and brown eyes, 100 pounds, and last seen wearing white pants, a short-sleeved blouse, and flip-flops.
James’ height is unknown, but he is described as 170 pounds with gray hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing jeans, a navy-blue button-up shirt, and flip flops.
The Child Crime Prevention and Safety Center estimates that a child goes missing every 40 seconds in the U.S., and 840,000 children are reported missing each year.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) found that in 2022, of the 27,644 cases reported to the non-profit, 4.5 percent were family abductions, and 58 percent of all AMBER alerts issued that year were for family abduction cases.
The NCMEC also details that certain conditions increase the propensity of a parent to abduct their child including having financial issues, facing unemployment, maintaining strong ties to another place where they reside, previously having a criminal record, and more.
Newsweek reached out to the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services for comment via a form on their website.
The Los Angeles police encourage anyone with any information to call 9-1-1.
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