Amber Alert Cancelled, Mother Now Facing Charges

An Amber Alert out of La Plata County has been cancelled, and a mother has been arrested for leaving the state with her two children.

Police say Kallisha Hughes, 30, forcefully took her two children, from a home near Durango, CO. She did not have legal custody.

Hughes and the children were in south-central New Mexico, when they were found by authorities around 9:30 pm Saturday night (10-11-14).

The children are safe, and were not harmed.

Hughes faces several charges, including kidnapping.

Here is the complete press release from La Plata County:

A woman who forcefully took her two children, for which she did not have legal custody, from a home near Durango, Colorado Saturday afternoon prompting an Amber Alert was arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in Alto near Ruidoso in south-central New Mexico at about 9:30PM Saturday. The children are safe and the woman, Kallisha Hughes, age 30, is being held on a Colorado warrant on charges of 2nd Degree Kidnapping, Burglary, and violation of a restraining order. The two girls, will be returned to family as soon as the exchange can be arranged.

La Plata County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies searched for the girls after their mother, Kallisha Hughes, forced her way into a residence west of Durango at about 1:30PM Saturday where her daughters Kiarah Hughes who is almost 6 and 3 year old Brooklyn Hughes were under the care of an aunt. Kallisha grabbed the two girls, placed them in her car and headed to New Mexico. Hughes lost custody of her children about 2 months ago. Hughes allegedly was involved with illegal drugs which raised concern for the children’s safety after they were taken.

La Plata Sheriff’s Office Deputies, assisted by Durango Police Department, Southern Ute Police Department and other area agencies searched several locations in the area. Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) notified law enforcement authorities in New Mexico in case they headed in that direction. An Amber Alert was also issued Saturday afternoon.