Two young girls were recovered and their alleged abductor was arrested Friday in Covelo about five hours after they disappeared from a Glenn County residence, authorities said.
Leonard Dale Tuttle Jr., 30, is being held in the Mendocino County jail on suspicion of abducting his ex-girlfriend's daughters, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The girls are Randi Nylaya Martinez, 2, and Vanessa Autumn Martinez, 5, according to the Orland Press Register. Tuttle is not their father, authorities said.
Tuttle and the girls' mother, Nancy Martinez, had a relationship until a week ago, when she left Covelo and moved in with her family in Willows, the newspaper reported.
Tuttle had traveled to Willows in an unsuccessful effort to reunite with Martinez, according to the Press Register. He allegedly took the girls about 9:30 a.m., saying he wanted to take them to Wal-Mart to buy them gifts.
Suspecting Tuttle was headed back to Covelo, the Garberville and Laytonville area CHP launched a land and air search of the area. A motorist reported seeing Tuttle's 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer on Highway 162 shortly after an Amber Alert was issued at 12:09 p.m., according to the CHP.
A CHP helicopter later spotted the vehicle in front of a Covelo residence where Tuttle was apprehended. The girls were uninjured, authorities said.
You can reach Staff Writer Glenda Anderson at 462-6473 or glenda.anderson@pressdemocrat.com.
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