HOUSTON -- A woman accused of kidnapping five children who have been staying in her home since Hurricane Katrina was arrested Thursday afternoon, KPRC Local 2 reported.

An Amber Alert was issued Wednesday after Harris County Precinct 4 deputies said Rhonda Tavey, 44, abducted five siblings between 3 and 8 years old who have been staying with her in her northwest Harris County home in the 4800 block of Brooklawn.

FBI agents arrested Tavey at her grandmother's north Harris County house at about 1 p.m. and she was booked into the Harris County Jail, the District Attorney's Office said.

Child Protective Services took custody of the children, who were found with Tavey, and said they appear to be in good health.

Officials said the children, identified as Rod Keesa Alphonse, 8, Alaysa Alphonse, 6, Yasmine Alphonse, 4, Eric Alphonse, 3, and Erin Alphonse, 3, and their mother befriended Tavey after they were displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Tavey was a volunteer who met the family when they lived in a shelter.

The children have been living with Tavey for the past year and a half, while the children's mother, Erica Alphonse, lived in New Orleans with her fiancé, working to rebuild their lives.

Tavey and the children had not been seen since about July 11, when Alphonse told Tavey she wanted to take her children back.

Over the phone, Tavey told KPRC Local 2 that she did the right thing by taking the children away from what she considered to be a dangerous family. Tavey said the children were not kidnapped and that she and the children were on vacation in the Dallas area.

"These kids do not deserve to have to be in that environment," Tavey said. "I've had them for three years with absolutely no help at all. No help financially."

Tavey claimed the children were forced to live in a crack house in New Orleans and their mother physically abused them. She said Erica Alphonse threatened her with a knife.

Erica Alphonse has denied all of the allegations and said she just wants her children back.

A CPS investigation is under way.

Tavey was charged with five counts of kidnapping.

If convicted, Tavey could face two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.