Amber Alert issued after 2 children allegedly abducted from Kelowna, B.C., area

UPDATE July 20, 2023: RCMP have confirmed the children's motherwas seen in a grocery store in Kamloops, B.C., on July 15, two weeks after her children were last seen in Kelowna.

ORIGINAL STORY:

An Amber Alert has been issued after two childrenwere allegedly abducted by their mother after last being seen in Kelowna, B.C.

Surrey RCMP issued the alert at around 3:15 p.m. PT on Wednesday, saying that the children's mother was possibly travelling in apickup truck.

The children were last seen atKraftyKitchen and Bar in downtown Kelownaon June 30.

Police say anyone who sees the car, or the children, is advised not to approach them and immediately call 911.

"RCMP received a report of two children who had not been returned to their father, by their mother, after a vacation to the Kelowna, B.C. area," reads a statement from RCMP Cpl. Vanessa Munn.

Munn says the Amber Alert was issued to locate the two children, who are from Surrey. She adds that the report from the children's father came on July 18.

While RCMP had initially said that the children were abducted from the restaurant, Kelowna RCMP later clarified that the downtown Kelowna bar was where the children and mother were last seen and that their current whereabouts are unknown.

"The children have been in the company of their mother since June 28when they departed Surrey," Munn told CBC News. "They were supposed to be returned to their father on July 17, but they were not, and no one has been able to make contact with them."

Munnsaid that the mother and children were planning on camping in the Kelowna area but never arrived, and their reservation was cancelled.

"RCMP are concerned for the mental health and wellness of [the mother]and her ability to care for the children," she said. "We do have concerns for their wellbeing."