Three Texas children abducted by a man who was charged with murder are safe and in Child Protective Services after authorities issued an AMBER Alert on Monday.
Authorities found 10-year-old Ninel Anseume, 2-year-old Elsi Anseume, and 4-year-old Abraham Anseume, who were last seen around 5 p.m. on Sunday in the 100 block of Palma Circle in Austin, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The Austin Police Department arrested 31-year-old Sherles Gregorio Machado-Hernandez, the alleged abduction suspect in the AMBER Alert, who was considered armed and dangerous, in the 900 block of Fairfield Drive in North Central Austin.
He is the biological father of two of the three children.
Investigators launched an extensive search after discovering Machado-Hernandez was linked to a double homicide in the 1800 block of Burton Drive.
Authorities found victims Francis Anseume-Corredor, the mother of the three children, and Brian Flores Alvarez, the boyfriend, outside of Silverado Condominiums. They both had apparent gunshot wounds.
Authorities found 10-year-old Ninel , 2-year-old Elsi Anseume, and 4-year-old Abraham Anseume, who were last seen around 5 p.m. on Sunday in the 100 block of Palma Circle in Austin, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Texas Department of Public Safety
Machado-Hernandez was booked into the Travis County Jail on one count of capital murder.
The detective on the case told Newsweek at the time of the murders, Anseum-Corredor and Machado-Hernandez were living together and involved in a common-law marriage.
A common-law marriage is a legally recognized union between two people who live together and present themselves as a married couple without formally registering their marriage.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis emphasized the critical importance of addressing family violence.
“Here we have a coward who killed the mother of his children and left three children motherless, and how devastating that is,” Davis said. “Family violence is something that touches every part of this police department, from homicide down to our patrol officers who are taking this call. I think it speaks to the power of the AMBER Alert. It worked exactly how it was supposed to. Within an hour of people getting that alert, the children were located.”
Patrol officers, aerial support, the Missing Persons Unit, the Metro Tactical Team, the Violent Crimes Task Force, Tactical Intelligence and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) participated in the search for Machado-Hernandez.
The suspect in a Texas AMBER Alert is 31-year-old Sherles Machado Hernandez. He is considered to be armed and dangerous
The suspect in a Texas AMBER Alert is 31-year-old Sherles Machado Hernandez. He is considered to be armed and dangerous
AMBER Alert
What is an AMBER Alert?
AMBER Alert is a nationwide notification system used to alert the public of missing children under the age of 18.
The alerts are shared across radio, TV, road signs, cellphones and other data-enabled devices.
As of last year, 1,200 children were found because of the AMBER Alert system and 180 children were rescued as a result of the emergency alerts.
In order for an alert to be issued, an abduction must have occurred, the child must be at risk of serious injury or death and there has to be descriptive information about the child, the suspect or the suspect’s vehicle.
“Every child featured in an AMBER Alert has been reported missing to law enforcement. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of a missing child,” Alan S. Nanavaty, Executive Director of Special Programs for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, told Newsweek.
Nanavaty said on average, there are generally fewer than 200 AMBER Alerts issued each year. The alerts are broadcast through radio, TV, road signs, cell phones, and other data-enabled devices. The AMBER Alert system is being used in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Indian country, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children also leverages ways to include posters and social media distribution to amplify AMBER Alerts to the public, Nanavaty said.
Newsweek created a map using 2022 data showing states have seen the most AMBER alerts in 2022. According to the data, there were 31 Amber Alerts in Texas in 2022.
Active AMBER Alerts
There is one other active AMBER Alert for a boy in Tennessee.
Sebastian Rogers, 15, has been missing since February 26. He was last seen at his mother and stepfather’s home in Sumner County, Tennessee.
He is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs around 120 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes and he wears glasses. He was last seen wearing black sweatpants and a black sweatshirt.
Anyone with information about Rogers is being asked to call the Sumner County Emergency Communications Center at 615-451-3838 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
