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CLINTON — Two young girls who police say were kidnapped by their noncustodial parents in Clinton were rescued early Friday more than 500 miles away, thanks to an alert Motel 6 clerk in Gallup, New Mexico.
Christopher John Montoya, 35, and Monica Jody Martinez, 27, checked into the motel about 4 a.m., said Clinton Police Lt. Shawn Stoker.
"The hotel attendant there recognized him from the Amber Alert information she had received and checked Mr. Montoya into the room, verified the vehicle and then contacted local authorities there, who responded to the scene and took Mr. Montoya and Ms. Martinez into custody without incident," Stoker said.
Both were arrested and booked into the McKinley County Adult Detention Center.
The couple's two children, Marae Montoya, 3, and Cynthia Montoya, 11 months, were found "well and safe," he said, and taken back into protective custody.
Officers brought diapers, formula and other items for the children, according to the Gallup Police Department.
Stoker said the motel clerk had seen the Amber Alert on her cellphone, though he didn't know if it was through a tweet or by surfing the internet or if she received a direct alert.
"I think it's incredible. Overall, I've been incredibly impressed with the public outpouring and support on this case. We had incredible public input from the onset of the case and it continued all night long up until the children were recovered," he said.
Montoya sisters, noncustodial parents located in Gallup, NM. Motel clerk recognized them from #AmberAlert, via CPD. pic.twitter.com/xKpeEhDABS
— Shara Park (@KSLSharaPark) May 6, 2016
Gallup is located near the Arizona border, between Flagstaff and Albuquerque. It is also 90 minutes south of Shiprock, New Mexico, where the community is still mourning the kidnapping and killing of an 11-year-old girl whose body was found three days earlier. An Amber Alert was also issued in that case for Ashlynne Mike.
Gallup Police Lt. Rosanne Morrissette believes the incident in Shiprock likely played a role in the clerk's alertness.
"We have a lot of people who are always calling us and aware of their surroundings. But I think with this Shiprock incident, more people are taking these Amber Alerts more seriously," she said.
The incident in Clinton began about 3 p.m. Thursday when Montoya and Martinez went to the home of the caretaker who had been given temporary custody of the children.
"It was more fear than force. The individuals knew where the children were staying from prior involvement. They arrived at the home uninvited and entered the residence. And when that happened, the victim in the home separated herself from Mr. Montoya and Ms. Martinez to contact police, hoping that they wouldn't hear her doing so or to avoid that confrontation. And when she came back in, the children were gone," Stoker said.
Police in New Mexico will now determine if the couple will face any charges there before Clinton police begin the extradition process to Utah. Stoker said his office will discuss potential charges, including kidnapping, with the Davis County Attorney's Office.
Stoker did not know Friday why Martinez and Montoya went to New Mexico or what their final destination was.
According to court records, Martinez's Utah criminal history dates back to at least 1999 when he was convicted of attempted aggravated assault. Other convictions include failing to stop at the command of police in 2009 and again in 2011, disorderly conduct in 2015, and damaging a police car in 2015 after being arrested in a road rage incident.
