Woman confesses to lying about Houston children at center of Florida Amber Alert, police say

Brian Mejias and Gabriela Mejias (KPRC2)

HOUSTON – Two children who were the subject of what police said was a fake Amber Alert were found safe Friday in Houston.

An Amber Alert was issued in Florida earlier Friday for Brian Mejias, 7, and Gabriela Mejias, 6, after police said their mother claimed some men, who she hadn't known for very long and were part of a crime ring, took the children and threatened to harm them if she told police.

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Police said the mother told investigators that the children could possibly be traveling in a caravan of cars traveling toward Texas after they were last seen in the 900 block of Ohio Avenue in Live Oak, Florida. The woman said one of the vehicles could possibly be driven by a man named Melecio and occupied by a woman named Alexia.

However, all that information was false, according to police.

Authorities said the mother was arrested and accused of passing fake checks, then told them the story about her children.

Police said she confessed Friday morning that she made up the story and that the kids were never in danger. She told police her children live with their grandparents in Houston.

Police said they spoke with the children at their Houston-area elementary school and the principal said the two had been at school the whole morning.

The Amber Alert was subsequently canceled.

She is expected to face multiple charges, including making a false police report.

Read more about this story from our sister station WKMG-TV in Orlando.