Sisters Kimberly and Kelly Yates who were kidnapped in 1985 by their mother during custody row disco
TWO sisters who were kidnapped by their mother when they were young children have been found alive and well 32 years after they were taken.
Elaine Yates, now 69, took her daughters Kimberly, then four years old, and Kelly, 10 months, when she was going through a bitter custody battle with their father in 1985.
They had been living in Rhode Island at the time, and their mother lived under the alias Liana Waldberg.
She is now facing two counts of child snatching and a sentence of up to 20 years in prison if found guilty.
The two sisters are now both living in Houston, Texas - 1,800 miles from the home they were abducted from - and were "obviously surprised" by the news.
Rhode Island State Police Lt. Col. Joseph F Philbin told the Providence Journal authorities won't be releasing the names Kimberly, now 35, and Kelly, aged 32, are now living under.
Cops cracked the case thanks to an anonymous tip they were given two days before Christmas.
They were able to use social media posts and court record to work to Waldberg was in fact Yates.
She was arrested on Monday at her home in Houston by Texas Rangers and Rhode Island State Police.
Yates waved her extradition and will stand before a judge on Wednesday.
Russell Yates, who last saw his children in 1985, said he was 'dumbfounded' but 'relieved.'
Speaking to WCVB he said: "I've always been trying to find my children. And now at least it's up to them to get in touch with me."
He added: "What happens with my ex-wife, I really feel bad about. But we gotta find out what's going on."
Yates said he didn't want to see her prosecuted: "That ain't going to help her, me or anybody else at this point.
"I just want to see my kids."
Yates kidnapped her children after allegedly finding her ex-husband with another woman.
Related Stories
Her husband admitted to hitting his wife when they argued about his cheating, but claimed it was to retaliate to her hitting and kicking him a number of times first.
He took his wife to the emergency room where it was recommended by nurses she went to a women's shelter.
According to the Charley Project, Yates then disappeared with the children three weeks later and when her husband returned from work at 2am, they were gone.
He then got full custody three months later when she didn't turn up for a custody hearing.
There was a warrant issued for her arrest in 1988 and they officially divorced in 1996.
Yates' mother Mary Pigeon, aged 77 at the time, was imprisoned for eight days in 1990 after she would not reveal where her daughter and grandchildren were living.
She died in 2000 and always claimed she did not know where they were.
Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7tbTErKynZpOke7a3jqecsKtfZ4N0hZJpaGisp6R6tLXSrZyrq12gtqW6wKmnnpxdnrtufZhxbGaaqWLBqbHIq2Smp6SdsrN5w66poqaXYrC2v9Oom7JloqTEbrDIrJqorpWnsqV5wKWgr51dlruledaeo6Vn