ATLANTA — UPDATE: Three missing children in northwest Atlanta were found safe Friday morning, police said, after a search that lasted roughly 18 hours.
The 14-year-old girl, her 6-year-old sister and their 10-year-old cousin were all last seen at around 3 p.m. Thursday near their home. After not coming home in the evening, police overnight issued an alert listing them as "critically missing."
Around 9 a.m. Friday morning, police said they were located at a friend's house.
The mother of the two girls, Britshonna McDaniel, was with reporters when she found out the news.
"In my heart I just felt like something was really wrong, this has been too many hours, my daughter has never gone missing this many hours - you have your sibling and your cousin with you. I'm shaky, I am, my heart is beating so fast my chest hurt," she said. "I just want to hug them."
McDaniel said she had hoped the children would simply be at a friend's home, noting that her younger daughter and the younger cousin like to take follow the older 14-year-old around.
"That's we said, had to be at somebody's house, we've been out here looking, riding around all night," she said.
The mom said she had not slept or eaten anything all night - but her only emotion after hearing the children were found was relief and happiness.
"I'm just happy that they're fine," she said. "I'm just happy that they're safe."
11Alive's crew was at the scene when the mother was reunited with her younger daughter:
Original story below
Atlanta Police issued an alert Friday morning that they are searching for a 14-year-old girl, her 6-year-old sister and their 10-year-old cousin who went missing together Thursday afternoon.
According to APD, the mother of the two girls last saw them near their home on Perry Blvd. NW at the Westside Crossing apartments in northwest Atlanta. They were later seen on camera near the Circle K at 1680 Hollywood Rd. in the Scotts Crossing neighborhood, about a half mile away.
That last sighting was at 4:22 p.m. on Thursday. APD described the three children as "critically missing."
APD said: "If anyone has seen the three critical missing juveniles or knows of their whereabouts, they are asked to contact 911, the Atlanta Police Department's Special Victim's Unit at (404) 546-4260, or Crime Stoppers at (404) 577 – TIPS (8477)."