Texas Mom Found Dead — and AMBER Alert Issued for Missing Daughters

Harriet Sokmensuer
Updated

Texas police are asking for the public’s help in finding two young sisters believed to be with a person of interest in the suspicious death of their mother, PEOPLE confirms.

Round Rock, Texas, police announced on Sunday they are searching for Lilianais Griffith, 14, and Luluvioletta Bandera-magret, 7, a police spokesperson tells PEOPLE. The girls were reported missing after their mother was found dead under “suspicious” circumstances that day, according to a police spokesperson.

Police believe the girls are with 44-year-old Terry Miles, who was living with the girls and their mother, the spokesperson tells PEOPLE.

On Saturday, police responded to a welfare check at the girls’ home but the home appeared to be empty, Chief Allen Banks said at a press conference on Monday. The following day, authorities returned to the home, where upon entering they discovered the body of Tonya Bates, 44.

During their investigation, police learned that Bates’ two daughters and her roommate, Miles, were missing. A cause of death for Bates has not be released, pending an autopsy.

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Police believe the girls were allegedly abducted by Miles but do not know of a motive, Banks said Monday. No charges have been filed.

Miles is believed to be driving a gray 2017 Hyundai Accent with Texas license plate JGH9845, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. There is also a white sticker on the upper right hand corner of the rear window, according to a police news release.

Terry Miles
Terry Miles

Police initially believed Miles was allegedly heading to Louisiana. But on Monday, police said the last sighting of the group was in northern New Mexico and possibly southern Colorado, Banks said.

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Lilianais is 5-feet 10-inches, weighs 100 pounds, has brown eyes, braces and a nose stud on her right nostril. Bandera-magret is 4-feet 5-inches, weighs 75 pounds, and has curly brown hair and brown eyes, according to authorities.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the three missing people is urged it call the Round Rock police tip line at (512) 670-5700, or call 911.