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 sisters, 3-year-old Arya Maldonado and 2-year-old Alana Maldonado, were last seen with their father, 23-year-old Jonathan Alexis Maldonado-Cruz, who is also a suspect in the murder of their mother.
The mother’s body was found at their home in Hanford, 40 miles south of Fresno, with a gunshot wound, prompting the welfare check. Deputies found Maldonado-Cruz had left the residence with the girls, driving a 2020 Hyundai Elantra with a gray color and California License plate reading “8LZD084”.
Maldonado-Cruz is considered “armed and dangerous” and is believed to have fled to Mexico. He is described as a Hispanic male, 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighing 215 lbs. with black hair and black eyes.
The girls are described as follows: Arya is 3 feet tall, weighing 25 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes, while Alana is 2 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 20 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes.
Authorities urge anyone with information regarding the case or the whereabouts of Maldonado-Cruz or the children to contact Det. Tyler Haener at (559) 670-9320 or (559) 852-2818, or Kings County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (559) 852-2720.