Police continued to search Wednesday for a man who allegedly abducted his four children from their Forest Park home.
Francisco Madrigal, 36, is identified in a Levi’s call issued Tuesday as having taken his four children, ages 6 to 12 years old, from his ex-girlfriend Miriam Rivera. They are the biological parents of the children but never married, police said.
Madrigal's sister told Channel 2 Action News that the youngsters' safety is not at risk – contrary to what police have been saying.
“The kids are not in danger. I promise that,” Elsa Madrigal said.
Police told Channel 2 that Elsa Madrigal may be traveling with her brother and the children, but the TV station contacted the woman through her cell phone, and she denied it.
She said she was in Georgia this weekend and had left with her boyfriend to drive back to Texas, but she was now returning to this state to meet with police.
In a news release issued Tuesday afternoon, Forest Park police said that “recent domestic-related issues” between the children’s parents led to what investigators described as a kidnapping.
Police identified the children as Geneicey Madrigal, 6; Michael Allen Madrigal, 10; Francisco Benjamin Madrigal, 10, and Jose Javier Madrigal, 12.
The investigation began shortly after 8 p.m. Monday when the Forest Park officers were dispatched to the 1400 block of Rock Cut Road in the Sheraton House Apartments, police said. There, Rivera told officers that her ex-boyfriend had taken her four children without her consent.
The suspect had been seen with the youngsters at the Willow Park Apartments nearby and may be driving a brown Chevrolet Tahoe with an unknown Indiana license plate, or a white Ford Explorer.
Family members told Channel 2 the father and children could be headed to Texas, Indiana, Tennessee or Detroit.
Francisco Madrigal was described as about 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 130 pounds, with dark hair and tattoos: A scorpion on his right hand, the name “Miriam” on his chest and a rose on his upper left arm.
“Francisco has exhibited some violent behavior in the past, therefore the children are considered to be in danger,” police said.
Anyone with information about the incident or the whereabouts of the man and children is asked to contact the Forest Park Police Department, 404-366-4141.
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