Search For Missing VA Girl, Grandmother Ramps Up

(Updated Monday): HARRISONBURG, VA — The Amber Alert for Angie Carolina Rodriguez Rubio, 12, and Elizabeth Rodriguez Rubio, 48, has been cancelled, although the search still continues, Virginia State Police announced.

"In accordance with program policy, the Alert must be canceled after a period of time," police said.

Original Story:

Police continue to investigate the abduction of a 12-year-old girl and her grandmother from Virginia. The suspect, Hareton Jaime Rodriguez-Sariol, was arrested in Lackawanna, Pennsylvania, Tuesday night, but the two victims remain missing.

Police believe Rodriguez-Sariol, 48, abducted Angie Carolina Rodriguez Rubio and her grandmother, Elizabeth Rodriguez Rubio, 48, on Tuesday morning. An Amber Alert was issued for Angie, and Elizabeth has also been entered into a nationwide system as a missing person, police said. The two are believed to be in "extreme danger," a police statement said.

The victims were last seen with Rodriguez-Sariol at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday. They were at a shopping center at 2347 South Main St. in Harrisonburg, police said.

Rodriguez-Sariol was supposed to take the victims to a home in Maryland, but they never arrived, police said. Instead, Rodriguez-Sariol's car was seen at about 2:30 p.m. in a shopping center at 259 Burgess Road. He drives a 2001 red, two-door Honda Civic.

"On Monday, August 6 around 3 a.m., a passerby reported a vehicle fire on I-66, near mile marker two," a police statement said. "Sariol’s red vehicle was fully engulfed in flames and has since been recovered by HPD and processed as evidence."

Police issued alerts for the victims and stopped Rodriguez-Sariol in Lakawanna at about 5 p.m. Tuesday. He was driving a tractor trailer, police said.

He is still in police custody and is being held in Pennsylvania until his extradition to Harrisonburg, police said

SEE RELATED: VA Grandmother, Girl Still Missing; Accused Kidnapper Charged

Rodriguez-Sariol "has a known history of infatuation with Elizabeth Rodriguez Rubio," police said.

Starting Thursday afternoon, the Harrisonburg Police Department and its partner agencies began searching by ground and air for evidence in the case.

Resources being used are drones for aerial imagery, other law enforcement staff for ground searches, canine dogs for search and rescue and evidence collection, and follow-up interviews with all of the people involved in the disappearance.

Members of the public can expect to see an increased law enforcement presence throughout the community and surrounding areas, police said.

Anyone who may have seen Rodriguez-Sariol’s vehicle, the victims, or the suspect between Sunday through Monday morning are asked to call police immediately.

Anyone with immediate information as to the victim’s whereabouts is asked to call 911 immediately. All other information and tips can be submitted through HPD’s local Crime Solvers line at 540-574-5050 or text “HPD” plus their tip to CRIMES (274637).

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(Photos via Harrisonburg Police Department)