Boys found ‘healthy and happy’ following alleged July abduction

Boys found ‘healthy and happy’ following alleged July abduction CHRIS ZWICK, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER, TOWN & COUNTRY NEWS THE CANADIAN PRESS PUBLISHED 38 MINUTES AGO Open this photo in gallery: RCMP say Krista Morrison and Daniel Ludwig, both 35, were arrested in West Kelowna Sept. 17 after the alleged abduction of a six-year-old boy from Valhalla Centre July 7, during a custody dispute. Both were charged with contravening a custody order and saw their first court date Sept. 18 in BC before they were sent back to Alberta. (RCMP photos) CHRIS ZWICK, LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER/THE CANADIAN PRESS COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. Two young brothers who were the subjects of an Amber Alert in July were found safely in BC Sept. 17 after a 10-week investigation. The Alberta RCMP Major Crimes Unit announced on Sept. 18 that the boys, 4 and 6, were found in West Kelowna, accompanied by their mother Krista Morrison and Daniel Ludwig, the father of the youngest. They were arrested on outstanding warrants and taken into custody without incident. “From the outset, our primary focus was (the children’s) safety and well-being. After approximately two-and-a-half months of sustained investigative efforts, we are grateful to report that both children have been found safe as a result of the investigation,” said Inspector Breanne Brown, Acting Officer in Charge of the Alberta RCMP Serious Crimes Branch. She credited the co-operation of several departments and detachments including RCMP Southeast BC District Emergency Response Team, RCMP Federal Policing, RCMP Air Services, and investigative services from both West Kelowna and Kelowna RCMP detachments. “This outcome reflects not only the strength and collaboration across the RCMP, but also the dedication of approximately 70 investigators, in addition to civilian support staff in Alberta, who spent countless hours pursuing leads, coordinating resources, and conducting searches across multiple jurisdictions across Canada,” said Brown. “This was an exhaustive and a complex investigation, and the determination to locate these children safely never diminished.” Beaverlodge RCMP notified the public of the Amber Alert on July 9, saying the eldest had been “taken” by his mother from Valhalla Centre. The Amber Alert was cancelled July 10 as there was “no reasonable expectation the public, in Alberta,…