The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) issued an AMBER Alert on the evening of February 24, 2026, for two missing children believed to be with their non-custodial mother. The alert was initiated after authorities determined that the children, aged eight and seven, were not returned to their father following a court-ordered supervised visit.
In December 2025, a Multnomah County judge granted temporary custody of the children to their father and ordered that any parenting time with their mother, Ann Marie Quarles, be supervised. On February 13, 2026, a family member dropped off both children with Quarles; however, she did not return them as scheduled. By February 20, the court found Quarles in violation of the custody order and directed law enforcement to assist in recovering the children.
On February 24, deputies visited Quarles’ apartment on Southeast 145th Avenue in Portland but did not find her or the girls there. During their investigation, deputies learned from witnesses that Quarles may have left over the weekend with her daughters. Detectives joined the search due to concerns about the children’s safety.
Deputies managed to contact Quarles by phone on February 24. She informed them she was in Moses Lake, Washington but refused to disclose her exact location or cooperate with instructions to contact local law enforcement. According to MCSO officials: “Quarles also told deputies that she did not intend to comply with the court’s order.”
Detectives stated they believed both girls could be in danger and noted that while Quarles claimed she was in Washington state, this information had not been confirmed. There remained a possibility that she and her daughters were still in Portland.
Authorities described both girls as white females around four feet tall and weighing between forty and forty-five pounds each. They have dark blonde hair and blue eyes.
Community members were urged by MCSO: “to call 9-1-1 if they see [Name Removed] and [Name Removed] or Quarles.”
AMBER Alerts are used when law enforcement has reasonable belief an abduction has occurred involving a child under seventeen who is believed to be at risk of serious harm or death. The system requires sufficient descriptive information about those involved so it can aid recovery efforts quickly through public notification channels.
“AMBER Alerts are issued to rapidly disseminate vital information to the public and partner agencies to assist in the safe recovery of children believed to have been abducted and are in imminent danger,” according to MCSO officials.
The criteria for issuing an AMBER Alert include confirmation of abduction circumstances; concern for imminent danger; adequate descriptive details; and entry into national law enforcement databases.