B.C. siblings at centre of alleged abduction 'so much more than missing children,' family says

The family of two B.C. children allegedly abducted by their mother says the disappearance of the children has had a "devastating" impact on their siblings.

Six days after an Amber Alert was first issued for the siblings, the family released a statement through the RCMP, praising the "love and joy that [the children] bring to our lives every day."

It says the children "are so much more than missing children, more than a few photos." 

"The love they share with their big sisters and brother is beyond beautiful, and the impact on their siblings is so devastating. They love the time they spend playing with them, loving them and teasing them. It is a very big part of their world," the family's message says.

The mother is suspected of abducting the two children after she failed to return them to their father from a planned vacation. Police say she is believed to be travelling with her boyfriend and her father.

On Monday, RCMP announced that they believe the alleged abduction was pre-planned, and the siblings have been taken to live "off the grid" in trailers in a rural area.

Police say they've received more than 180 tips about the children's whereabouts since the Amber Alert began last Wednesday. There have been no confirmed sightings of the children since July 7, when they were seen at a gas station in Merritt.

The last confirmed sighting of the mother was at a grocery store in Kamloops on July 15.

Investigators say she is driving a truck, and she has been seen towing a number of trailers.

Surrey RCMP launched an Amber Alert for the two missing children on July 19.

Police said anyone who sees the truck or the children is advised not to approach them and immediately call 911.

Full statement from family of the children:

Our family would like to share with you the love and joy that [the children] bring to our lives every day. They are so much more than "missing children," more than a few photos.

The love they share with their big sisters and brother is beyond beautiful, and the impact on their siblings is so devastating. They love the time they spend playing with them, loving them and teasing them, it is a very big part of their world. 

We have a routine at home, we share, we help, we tease and love each other beyond words. They are exceptionally close to their entire extended family and especially to their many cousins, who they visit often, enjoy swimming, sleep-overs and playing outdoors, having the best time!  

At home, [one of the children] loves to help with the cooking, but not the dishes. [They love] to spend time playing online games, chatting with [their] best friends (but will drop everything for a walk with [their] Stepmom). [They] will run down from [their] room mid-game to give a hug & a kiss and share a silly video, or a "hilarious'"fart joke.  

[The other child] is the sweetest ... and is an amazing helper too. Always keeping [themselves] busy with crafts, trying new things and creating. We have a dance party with [them] before bed, so [they] brushes [their] teeth more than 30 seconds, then gets a special bedtime ritual of hugs and kisses. Both kids love a good 'scratch-back' before bed, and we take this time to chat and connect with them one-on-one. They share their day, their hurts, their questions with us, and then go to bed with a good snuggle and kiss. 

They love family picnics and movie nights with popcorn, making slime with maximum mess, trying silly experiments, playing silly pranks, water fights in the front yard with the neighbours, friends, play-dates and birthday parties. 

Their home, routine, friends, best friends, many cousins, aunties, uncles and grand-parents miss them more than can be expressed. They are loved so very, very much, and are so very missed.