Amber Alert was issued on Friday in response to the demise of a mother in New Hampshire and the desperate search for her two young children.
The two girls have been found safe, and their father, Dustin Duren, 37, is now charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of his children’s mother.
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella stated that it all began with a strange death on Thursday night.
Caitlyn Naffziger, 31, was discovered dead in an apartment on Berlin’s Main Street by police.
Her two children, a four-year-old daughter and a one-year-old girl, went missing. That prompted the search for her two children and their father.
An audio clip between a police dispatcher and policemen includes a warning that Duren is a Marine veteran suffering from PTSD.
“As part of the investigation, authorities issued an Amber Alert asking for the public’s assistance,” Formella said in a statement.
New Hampshire State Police provided images of the three and the vehicle Duren may have been driving during the warning, which was issued at 4 a.m. Friday. They stated that Duren “may possibly be armed and dangerous,” but did not provide any other information.
Amber Alert Canceled
More than six hours later, New Hampshire State Police lifted the Amber Alert. According to Formella’s office, the three “were safely located late this morning in Keene, New Hampshire.”
Keene is approximately three hours southwest of Berlin. The automobile was observed being hauled from an Applebee’s parking lot in Keene.
Look at the tweet that we have provided to you below:
NH AMBER ALERT CANCELED –
Elowyn and Vaelyn Duren have been safely located. The Amber Alert has been canceled.
All media inquiries should be directed to the New Hampshire Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General.
— New Hampshire State Police (@NH_StatePolice) March 1, 2024
It’s unclear where or how they were found. There has been no information disclosed regarding the mother’s death.
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When asked if Duren had been charged or was in police custody, Formella’s office told WBZ-TV that he was just “with police” in Keene.
“Additional information is expected to be released this evening regarding the ongoing suspicious death investigation,” Formella’s office stated in a statement.
Berlin is in northern New Hampshire, approximately three hours north of Boston.
“The Department of Justice greatly thanks the public for their assistance in this matter and their responsiveness to the alert issued earlier by the New Hampshire State Police,” a statement from the attorney general said.
Investigators say Amber Alert suggestions led them to locate Duren’s white Subaru outside a restaurant in a Keene retail complex. Witnesses reported a spectacular scene.
Witnesses Describe Arrests
“About three cop cars that came racing in here, cops jumped out of the car immediately, had their guns drawn,” Elizabeth Everitt, a police officer, said. “I did see the officer drop their weapon and then I believe they tackled him to the ground,” she went on to say.
Witnesses witnessed the children being transported into an ambulance. “She looked like she was extremely scared. She was kind of wrapped up on the side of them all, just kind of holding on tight,” Cassandra Plankey explained.
“It’s very traumatic to watch something like that happen in real time,” said Tonya Hansen, who captured video of Duren’s arrest. “The little ones were clearly distraught in this situation, so it was a little rough to watch. It was scary to watch police draw weapons on someone in public.”
When it was all over, Tonya, a nurse, provided officers with snacks and blankets for the young girls who had gone through so much.
“I just wanted to make sure they were feeling secure and safe and the officers did a great job of cuddling them and keeping them calm through the process,” Hansen added.
New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General Bethany Durand stated that the children are currently in state custody, but she is unable to describe what the girls went through.
“Can’t indicate whether they were present when their mom was shot, I can say they were found, they are safe and they’re being cared for,” she was quoted as saying.
Prosecutors say the medical examiner finished an autopsy on Naffziger’s body Friday afternoon. It revealed that a gunshot wound to the head caused her death. Duren is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
