2-year-old Madeline Samaan-Fay went missing last week when her father took the young girl during a child custody dispute and FBI officials are now reporting that Madeline and father Mourad “Moni” Samaan, 49, were found dead in his green Toyota 4Runner in a rural area near Placerville, California.
At this time investigators have not determined the cause or time of death and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department were on the scene late Saturday night with the investigation expected to last through the weekend with autopsies scheduled for later in the day on Sunday.
Mourad took his daughter last Sunday when his ex-wife was given custody, the FBI issued an AMBER alert on Friday after it was determined that the young girls father had no intention of returning his daughter.
The father and daughter were last seen at a Sacramento Raley’s grocery story on Sunday, after which time Samaan cut off all communication with family and friends.
The day before the kidnapping took place Samaan was served with a notice from that court that stated full custody had been awarded against his favor. Before the ruling the two parents shared joint custody of the toddler.
Earlier in the week the FBI released a statement in which they called the girls disappearance “particularly concerning” based off the circumstances of the custody hearing, urging anyone with evidence to come forward immediately.
The girls identity was verified upon discovering her body and the AMBER alert was officially cancelled by FBI officials on Saturday night.
