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Amber alert cancelled in Arkansas, 2 missing Missouri children found safe in Oklahoma

Amber alert issued 7/9/20 for Genisis and Samuel Pardon.  Authorities believe they are en route to Mexico.
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Arkansas State Police
Amber alert issued 7/9/20 for Genisis and Samuel Pardon. Authorities believe they are en route to Mexico.

Updated 6:42 A.M. 7/10/20:  Missouri State Highway Patrol at midnight cancelled the Amber Alert for Genesis and Samuel Pardon, saying they were found safe in Miami, Oka.  The suspect, 35-year-old Hilda Melendez, is in custody.

Arkansas State Police had issued an Amber Alert for Genesis and Samuel Pardon of Southwest City, Mo., which is about 55 miles north of Fayetteville, Ark.  

Hilda Melendez, 35, is the suspect
Credit Arkansas State Police
Hilda Melendez, 35, is the suspect

In the first report of the alert, the three were traveling in a 2009 red Ford Flex SUV with Missouri license plate number RA1-J1L.  At 7:00 P.M., the alert was updated to show that they could be traveling in a cream colored Kia Soul with an unknown Oklahoma license plate number.

According to authorities, Melendez is a non-custodial parent who allegedly assaluted the female that was watching the children and took them from their home.

Not many descriptive details were given about the children.  However, Melendez is described as a 5'03" white female with brown hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call Lt. Chris Harris with the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 417-223-4318.

Update 7:24 P.M.:  Missouri State Police posted on Twitter that Melendez also took the children's Grandmother and the non-custodial mother.

At 5:05 P.M., authorities said that the Grandmother and the Ford Flex were recovered in Stroud, Ok.  The non-custodial mother and the children were not in the Ford. 

Authorities beleive they are in the cream Kia Soul.  Also, athourties have released the ages and race of the children.  Genesis is an 8-year-old white girl.  Samuel is a 4-year-old white boy.

A Northeast Arkansas native from Wynne, I’ve been involved with radio for about 15 years. I got my Bachelor of Arts degree from Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, where I also served as an award-winning News Director for 2 years at KSWH-LP.