2 girls reported missing from central Phoenix home found safe

PHOENIX — Two missing children who were reported missing Saturday evening in Phoenix have been found safe, authorities said.

Sisters Amina, 4, and Amanirena Sterling, 3, were last seen near 16th and Missouri avenues, the Phoenix Police Department said.

A person told police they thought they saw the two girls with an adult, Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said in a press conference.

Police responded and found the two girls safe.

The adult told police she found the children Saturday night and attempted to return the children to their residence but was unable to for reasons Fortune did not disclose.

Fortune said she has seen both girls and the adult who found them is being “extremely cooperative.”

“They are happy, healthy and everything you would expect a 3- and 4-year-old to be right now,” Fortune said. “They are in great shape.”

The adult, who Fortune said is vaguely familiar with the apartment complex and the children, told police she did not know the children were missing and took them into her apartment to sleep overnight after attempting to return them Saturday night.

The mother of the children told police she last saw both girls inside of their apartment around 6:30 p.m., authorities said.

The sisters live with their father, but were staying with their mother while he was out of town, the aunt said.

Fortune said the Department of Child Safety is determining if elements of child neglect were present in this case.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

No additional information was available.

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