Missing Fort Worth Girl Found Safe In New Mexico
TRES PIEDRAS, NM, (CBSDFW.COM) - A Fort Worth girl who has been the center of a regional Amber Alert has been located in Northern New Mexico.
Smith and her mother Kimberly were located on U.S. Highway 285 near Tres Piedras, north of Santa Fe around 1:00 Sunday afternoon by New Mexico State Police officers who were working on a tip they were in the area.
The girl is said to be in good condition, but police are reporting she and her mother were 'exhausted and hungry.'
Kimberly Smith did not fight officers and was taken into custody without incident.
The two was transported to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, New Mexico to be checked out. Investigators said Kimberly Smith was lethargic, but Jessica Smith was in good spirits and happy to have been found.
Both were released Sunday evening. Jessica went into child protective custody, Kimberly was taken into New Mexico State Police custody.
The Amber Alert was issued Tuesday for Smith after she did not arrive at school.
An attorney for Jessica Smith's estranged father, Phillip Smith, said his client was grateful to everyone who helped in the search for his daughter.
"She was just really, really exhausted and maybe hungry and a little bit thirsty. We're just happy she's back," said Phillip Smith's attorney, Tom Pappas.
Pappas said Jessica Smith will stay with her grandparents when she gets back to Texas.
Fort Worth Police are working on extraditing Kimberly Smith back to Texas, who is wanted on 2 felony warrants of Aggravated Assault and Endangering a child.
Police have not determined why Smith fled to New Mexico. The Amber Alert that had been issued for Jessica Tuesday was cancelled in New Mexico on Thursday after officials there said they had a lack of evidence the mother and daughter were in the state.
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