Two young siblings, ages two and four, have been safely located after being abducted in South Los Angeles two weeks ago.
Wyman Bryant and his younger sister, Willow, went missing on August 14, prompting an Amber Alert issued by the California Highway Patrol a few days later.
Authorities confirmed on Friday that the children had been found, leading to the deactivation of the Amber Alert.
HAVE YOU SEEN THEM? An Amber Alert has been issued for 2 missing kids, 2-year-old Willow Bryant and 4-year-old Wyman Bryant. MORE: https://t.co/ogSSAbWiho pic.twitter.com/VlleKednXn
— FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) August 19, 2024
In addition, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department informed Eyewitness News that both parents, Tiffany Bryant and David James, have been taken into custody. However, details regarding the specific circumstances and location of the children’s discovery were not immediately disclosed.
The case began when Tiffany Bryant, 39, and David James, 53, allegedly took Wyman and Willow during a supervised visit with the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in South Los Angeles.
Nina Glass, the director of a Texas-based nonprofit organization that assisted in the search, shed light on the abduction, explaining that Bryant and James had managed to exit the facility with the two children through an emergency door, leaving behind their 15-month-old child.
The children had been living with a foster family since the previous year after their infant sibling tested positive for drugs at birth. This led to the state’s intervention and the removal of the children from their parents’ custody, per ABC7.
This incident marked the second time the parents had taken their children without permission. Glass revealed that a similar event occurred the prior summer after the birth of their third child. The parents managed to evade authorities for two months before being located. After that, the couple was granted visitation rights once again, but with supervision.
UPDATE: WILLOW and WYMAN have been located and are SAFE!! Thanks again for your help. #TheAWAREFoundation pic.twitter.com/r1LuySFnaL
— The AWARE Foundation (@aware_the) August 31, 2024
Authorities believed the family had been traveling in a champagne-colored Buick Enclave SUV with paper plates, leading to heightened concern about the children’s safety. Despite the parents’ previous actions, they were given another chance to see their children under monitored conditions — a decision that tragically led to this second abduction.
As of now, both parents remain in custody, and it is unclear what legal consequences they will face. The safety and well-being of the children have been prioritized by the authorities, and while the investigation continues, there is a sense of relief that Wyman and Willow are safe.
The exact details of how and where the children were found have not been released. However, this case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by child welfare agencies in balancing the need to protect children with the legal rights of their biological parents.
As the situation unfolds, many will be watching to see how the legal system addresses this repeat abduction case and what measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.