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Dad Of 2 Missing Md. Toddlers Pleads For Amber Alert

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- The family of two missing Montgomery County toddlers pleads with Maryland state officials to issue an Amber alert in the case.

Derek Valcourt explains the family is now calling on the governor to intervene.

The family says they started asking for an Amber Alert when the kids first went missing three weeks ago---but they still feel it's not too late for an Amber alert to help.

"We started from day one asking for this," said Troy Turner.

Turner appeals to Governor Martin O'Malley in a letter, asking him to force an Amber alert in his increasingly desperate search to find his missing toddlers, three-year-old Sarah and two-year-old Jacob.

"The more ears and eyes we have out there on the streets and looking at the roads and everything, the more likely we are to get the tips and information that bring them home," said Turner.

It was three weeks ago that the children's mother, 27-year-old paranoid schizophrenic Catherine Hoggle, disappeared with the kids. Police found her days later, wandering the streets. She refuses to say what she did with the kids.

As police build a murder case against Hoggle, family members continue to search---confident the kids are still alive and they are frustrated Maryland State Police have denied their repeated requests to issue an Amber Alert.

For their part, state police say this case did not meet the limitations and restrictions required to generate an Amber Alert. For example, because the children were with their mother, there was no confirmed abduction as required under Amber Alert policy. Police say there was no known immediate danger to the children, since they were believed to be with their mother. Since police found Hoggle's car, there was no suspect vehicle information to broadcast.

Hoggle amber alert

But the children's father says Amber Alert exceptions have been made in other missing children's cases and should be made to help find his kids.

"We need someone to step in and intercede and get this done so we can get closer to finding my children and bringing them home," Turner said.

Despite their frustrations that Amber Alerts have not been issued, the family was extremely appreciative of the police investigation in the case.

The reward for the information leading to the children's safe return is now up to $25,000.

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