Boys found:
Man, 2 sons found in Austin hotel after tip; handgun, ‘large sum of money’ found.
Two boys from Georgia who were reported missing last week and were found at an Austin hotel were waiting for their mother to come pick them up, police said Sunday.
Two boys from Georgia who were reported missing last week and were found at an Austin hotel were waiting Sunday for their mother to come pick them up, police said.
“The boys are fine and doing well ... I checked on them myself last night,” said Austin police spokesman Cpl. Wuthipong Tantaksinanukij.
Brothers Ben and Henry Cleary — ages 9 and 7 — had been visiting with their father, Daniel Cleary, of Roswell, Ga., and were supposed to return home last Wednesday; an Amber Alert was issued Thursday.
Daniel Cleary, 46, was arrested Saturday while walking out of a hotel room in Northwest Austin, Tantaksinanukij said. Police received a tip from a woman who was also staying at the hotel and who recognized the boys after seeing them on CNN and called 911.
After Cleary was arrested, police found a handgun and “a large sum of money,” Tantaksinanukij said.
He declined to say exactly how much money was found. Information on where the weapon and money were found was also not released.
Cleary remains in the Williamson County Jail, held on two felony warrants — one for interference with child custody and another for interstate interference with child custody, Tantaksinanukij said.
The boys’ mother, Theresa Nash, was planning Sunday to come to Austin from Georgia, Tantaksinanukij said.
Police are still trying to figure out why Cleary was in Austin, where he was staying at the Crossland Economy Studios, a hotel just off U.S. 183 near Anderson Mill Road.
Nash appeared on CNN earlier Saturday, asking for help in finding her children and telling her children to call her.
When news of Cleary’s arrest and the boys’ location broke later Saturday, CNN anchor Don Lemon said he had spoken with Nash, who said: “I’m ecstatic. I’m in shock.”
“You don’t want to paint him out there as some crazy man. He’s not wanting to harm his children. This is a father