UPDATE: We spoke with Brianna Lilley, the mother of 7-year-old daughter Nova who was missing, she is question Child & Family Services staff. You can read more here.
ORIGINAL: The Buffalo Police Department announced that two missing girls have been located.
Police said 7-year-old Nova Rayne Lilley and 12-year-old Ariyah Brown were last seen on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo Monday.
The girls were located safely Tuesday at an apartment on Langfield Drive.
"The two young girls who went missing yesterday have been located safely and are currently being evaluated for any possible injuries. I want to sincerely thank the Buffalo Police Department for their dedicated efforts in ensuring their safe return. I also extend my appreciation to the media and the community for their assistance in spreading the word during this critical time."
The girls are being assessed for injuries. According to police, two individuals have been brought in for questioning.
7 News received a statement from Child and Family Services which said the children left its Delaware campus unsupervised and staff immediately contacted police for help locating them. You can read the full statement below:
“On the evening of January 20th, two children ages 12 and 7 years old left Child and Family Services’ Delaware campus unsupervised. Child and Family Services staff contacted the Buffalo Police Department for help locating the children, recognizing the urgency of the situation due to the ages of the children and extreme weather conditions.
The Agency and the Buffalo Police Department worked together overnight and throughout this morning to locate the children. Shortly after ten this morning, the children were found safe at a residence in Buffalo. They are both being evaluated. We are extremely grateful for the immediate and thorough response of the Buffalo Police Department.
Child and Family Services will review this incident to determine how the children were able to leave and will make appropriate changes to prevent a similar incidence in the future.”
Why was there no AMBER Alert?
We're told BPD does not issue AMBER alerts. It's done through New York State's Division of Criminal Justice Services, but a missing child alert was issued, a step below an AMBER alert.
"The Buffalo Police Department would like to thank the media for their assistance in this dire situation. Your coverage of the story led to an uptick in 911 calls. Buffalo Police would also like to thank the public for their response, which ultimately led to a positive result. We also thank our partners in law enforcement, particularly the Erie County Sheriffs Office, the FBI, and the Erie Crime Analysis Center."
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