This photo provided by the Anderson Police Department shows a pick-up driven by a woman who had abducted her children in Arkansas. The photo was taken in Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023 in Anderson, Calif. Authorities say they rescued eight children after they had allegedly been abducted by their biological mother from their foster homes in Arkansas. (Anderson Police Dept. via AP)
Authorities rescued eight children in California on Saturday after they were abducted by their biological mother and found roughly 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from their foster homes in Arkansas, police said.
The 36-year-old mother had lost her custodial rights, according to police in Anderson, a tiny city in a rural part of Northern California about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north of Sacramento.
Law enforcement in Arkansas had previously issued a warrant for her arrest, though it was unclear when that occurred and how she transported the children.
A “concerned citizen” reached out to authorities around 12:30 a.m. Saturday to request a welfare check after seeing six children with a woman who was “displaying bizarre behavior,” Anderson police said.
Officers discovered the outstanding arrest warrant and took the woman into custody. The other two children were found in a home about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away.
Details about the abductions and why the mother had lost custody of her children were not immediately available, including whether an Amber Alert had been issued. An Arkansas attorney who had represented the woman in a previous case said she was no longer his client.
