ATLANTA (AP) - Police said two young boys from Georgia who were reported missing this week were found safe in Texas on Saturday and their father is in custody and facing charges.
Brothers Ben and Henry Cleary - ages 9 and 7 - were visiting with their father, Daniel Cleary, of Roswell, and were supposed to return home Wednesday. An Amber Alert was issued Thursday.
Roswell Police Lt. James H. McGee said that the 46-year-old Daniel Cleary was taken into custody Saturday evening in Austin, Texas.
"We have recovered the kids," McGee told The Associated Press. "They were with him and they were OK."
Austin police said a citizen had recognized the boys from the alert and notified police at 5:11 p.m. CDT that they were at a hotel.
Officers "observed the suspect and the two boys, and recovered the two boys and took the suspect into custody," Austin police Lt. James Nisula.
The children's mother, Theresa Nash, spoke to the boys by phone and was on the way to get them.
She told FOX 5 Atlanta they were "battling each other on their IPads and planning Henry's birthday party."
Nash had told WGCL-TV in Atlanta she was concerned because Daniel Cleary had purchased a firearm about a month ago, was under stress and drinking.
Police said they did not know if Daniel Cleary was in possession of a firearm when he was taken into custody.
McGee said authorities will arrange for Daniel Cleary's extradition to Georgia. He faces a charge of interstate interference with custody, a felony. McGee said police will discuss with prosecutors whether other charges will be brought.
Police on Friday had released surveillance footage showing the two missing boys at a Walmart in Tennessee on Dec. 23 and 24 with their father. Though initial reports were that the Walmart was in Jackson, McGee said it was in fact in Chattanooga.
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Friday, Dec. 28: Video footage shows missing Ga. boys in Tennessee
ATLANTA (AP) - Police have released surveillance footage showing two young boys who were reported missing at a Walmart in Tennessee with their father.
Brothers Ben and Henry Cleary - ages 9 and 7 - were visiting with their father, Daniel Cleary, of Roswell, and were supposed to return home Wednesday. An Amber Alert was issued Thursday.
Police say the Walmart footage was recorded on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 at a store in Jackson, Tenn. - about 90 miles west of Memphis.
Daniel Cleary is described as a 46-year-old white man who weighs about 220 pounds. He is 6 feet tall and has medium-length gray hair and brown eyes.
Cleary is believed to be driving a silver 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The boys were last seen wearing blue winter vests.
Thursday, Dec. 27: Authorities searching for 2 missing Roswell boys
ROSWELL, Ga. (AP) - Two boys were reported missing in metro Atlanta on Thursday when they did not return home from a visit with their father.
Ben and Henry Cleary - ages 9 and 7 - were with their father, Daniel Cleary, and were supposed to return Wednesday. Cleary, 46, had been visiting with his sons since Dec. 19 and planned to take the boys to an aquarium in Tennessee, Roswell police Sgt. James McGee said Thursday. The boys were supposed to return to their mother, who is divorced from Cleary, police said.
An Amber Alert was issued for the brothers Thursday afternoon.
Daniel Cleary is described as a 46-year-old Caucasian man who weighs about 220 pounds. He is 6 feet tall and has medium-length gray hair and brown eyes.
Ben Cleary is 4 feet 8 inches tall, Caucasian and 66 pounds. He was last seen wearing a light blue winter vest, authorities said.
Henry Cleary is 4 feet 5 inches tall, Caucasian and 60 pounds. He also was last seen wearing a light blue winter vest, authorities said.
Daniel Cleary is believed to be driving a silver 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a temporary tag and may be in the Nashville vicinity, authorities said.