State officials on Tuesday asked for the public’s help to find four missing Lubbock children.
UPDATE: Roughly three hours after we broke this story, Children’s Protective Services said the children were found safe. Specific details of where they were found were not yet released.
Ely Munoz, 14; Jacob Munoz, 11; Aubrey Munoz, 6; and Arian Walzier, 4 were last seen on December 14 according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“They may be in the company of their mother,” NCMEC said on its website.
The mother was identified by officials as Crystal Munoz, 34. The mother did not have custody and was ordered by a court to fulfill a “family service plan.”
Children’s Protective Services originally became involved when Crystal Munoz was arrested for aggravated assault. Court records said she stabbed a man with her children present.
“There has [sic] been ongoing domestic violence concerns,” court records said.
The criminal charge was dropped because the man did not want to testify.
State officials believe the mother is still in the greater Lubbock area, and they also believe the children have not been in school since their disappearance.
NCMEC said to call 9-1-1 or 1-800-843-5678. Anyone with information can also call Crime Line at 806-741-1000.
