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KINGS COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- This clip past week, radical were disquieted astir the well-being of the 2 small girls aft an Amber Alert was sent out.
Today, they are location harmless with their family and the outpouring of enactment from galore strangers has encouraged their gramps to stock his gratitude with each who sent their thoughts and prayers to his family.
"I person an work due to the fact that those kids touched truthful galore people, and those radical should cognize however those kids are doing, and those radical should cognize those kids are safe," says a heartbroken Joel Cuevas.
Joel shares his gratitude to the assemblage and strangers who person reached retired successful enactment of his household and 2 toddler granddaughters.
Their father, 23-year-old Jonathan Maldonado-Cruz, is accused of shooting and sidesplitting his ex-girlfriend and parent of his children, 22-year-old Madeline Rose Cuevas.
In tribunal connected Wednesday, Maldonado pleaded not blameworthy to each charges, including execution with peculiar enhancements of "using a firearm" and "lying successful wait."
"She would person been caught unaware, and the suspect would person had an accidental to instrumentality vantage of the victim's unawareness," explains Kings County District Attorney Sarah Hacker.
Maldonado is besides accused of kidnapping the 2 toddlers and taking them crossed the borderline to Mexico earlier handing them implicit and turning himself into authorities.
Action News captured exclusive video from erstwhile Joel recovered retired his granddaughters were coming location harmless and the 2 girls were getting disconnected the level successful Visalia.
"My bosom volition person a spread successful my bosom for a while, and I spot my girl successful those kids, they are angels and they person touched a batch of people," says Joel.
Joel says that done this unimaginable tragedy, the community, Kings County District Attorney's Office, CPS, and each instrumentality enforcement progressive person kept him going.
Despite the heartbreak and pain, his main absorption is connected those 2 small girls, paving a way for their agleam future.
"My nonsubjective is those kids and the healing successful their heart, due to the fact that they are hurting, I cognize they are hurting," expresses Joel.
And arsenic for the suspected killer, "The judgement for me.. for maine it's gonna travel from God. I can't beryllium determination and dwell. I forgave him and it's successful God's hands," Joel said.
Maldonado volition beryllium backmost successful tribunal connected May 2nd.
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