A 4-year-old girl who was reported missing out of Fayetteville, N.C., was found in Lewisville, police confirmed Friday.
Aubriana Recinos was reunited with her biological father Mario early Friday. Police tell WFAA the pair boarded a plane and will return to North Carolina Friday night. North Carolina station WRAL spent some moments on the phone with the father.
"This could have turned into a whole different scenario. It could have been a whole different ultimatum at the end of this. It's just a blessing. I don't even want to think about the negative. I'm just glad she's alive," said Mario.
Aubriana was found around 7:50 a.m. according to a Facebook post on the Fayetteville Police Department's page.
The child had been reported missing July 8. Her mother, Carmen Lowe, was arrested Thursday in Louisiana, officials said.
Lowe, 23, had a warrant out for her arrest for violating a custody order out of Cumberland County, N.C., police said.
FBI agents were working a human trafficking operation when Lowe was arrested, according to Fayvetteville police.
Although the girl was believed to be in danger throughout the time she was missing, an Amber Alert was never issued, detectives stated.
"Due to Amber Alert criteria and given the current facts of this investigation, Detectives were told by the agency responsible for issuing Amber Alerts that this case does not meet that criteria.," Fayettville police said.
Detectives said during the investigation they received information indicating Lowe took Recinos out of North Carolina. At one point, police believe Lowe traveled to New Jersey and Louisiana with the girl.
The girl was found safe in a Lewisville home Friday, police said.
