Two girls reported missing from Florida earlier this month were found safe and their father arrested in Montana this morning, authorities said.
The Citrus County Sheriff's Office reported that Edward Peters and the girls - Madison, 11, and McKala, 6 - were located in Montana early today. Edward Peters was taken into custody and the girls were "reported to be doing well," the sheriff's office said. There were no further details immediately available.
Peters had been suspected of stealing an SUV in Sanilac County, Mich. That SUV, and a a man matching Peters' description, was suspected in a gas theft a Laurel, Mont., gas station on Wednesday, the Billings Gazette reported.
There had been some indications that Edward Peters, who authorities said took the girls from the court-appointed guardian on Sept. 8 in Inverness, Fla., may have been headed to northern Minnesota. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension put out an alert last Saturday asking people in the state to be on the lookout for Peters and is daughters.
Edward Peters had a warrant issued for his arrest and violated several court orders, the sheriff's office reported. He was on pretrial release and removed his GPS ankle monitor, officials said.
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