Amber Alert Canceled For Missing 9-Year-Old Boy, 18-Month-Old Girl
MONTGOMERY CO., Md. (WJZ) -- Concern for two missing children sparked an Amber Alert across the region Tuesday after a domestic dispute.
The alert was canceled for 9-year-old Kingston Perry and 18-month-old Karina Perry, who police say was taken by their father 35-year-old Dwight Reylando Perry after he allegedly stabbed his girlfriend in the back.
For a little more than two hours, Kingston and Karina Perry's names, faces and last known whereabouts spread like wildfire across social media, news outlets and electronic billboards.
Dwight Perry is accused of stabbing the mother of Karina Perry, who was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"She was able to tell investigators that our suspect had stabbed her and fled from the home with the kids and then, of course, our immediate concern was the welfare of those kids," said Rick Goodale, Montgomery County Police spokesperson.
WJZ looked into Perry's criminal history. Aside from various traffic violations, in 2006 he faced charges for having a gun in his car in 2006. That case was later dropped. In 2000, a domestic violence hearing was eventually canceled when the case was dismissed.
Montgomery County Police say the incident unfolded at an apartment complex in Gaithersburg.
The heavy police presence came as a surprise to some in the neighborhood.
"Really a shocker, everything that has happened, especially since we know them. We've been to their birthday parties, it's just sad" said neighbor Elizabeth Gomez.
Others heard from witnesses that it didn't appear like anything was wrong.
"She saw the boy and girl come out of the house and then the father followed a couple minutes after," one witness said.
The Amber Alert was eventually canceled after Dwight Perry turned himself in at a firehouse in College Park. He said he heard about the Amber Alert and told officers that he dropped off the children earlier.
Prince George's County Police say Karina Perry was found at a daycare in the 2700 block of Philben Drive in Hyattsville and Kingston Perry was with a family member in the 6000 block of Riggs Road.
"They are safe and unharmed and our detectives will be working with child protective services to determine what the next of action is to be where the children need to go," Goodale said.
Neighbors who say they often interacted with the family told WJZ the situation is heartbreaking.
"I never say anything violent or abusive with one another. They seemed like loving parents," Gomez said.
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