WAYNESBORO, Pa. — More than three years after two sisters were reported missing, Hanna Lee and Skye Rex have been found safe.
On March 17, 2020, a judge awarded John Rex with full custody of the two girls after a bitter divorce and long court battle, according to court records. That same day, John Rex told police his ex-wife, Lashada Lee, had left with the girls.
The girls were only 7 and 5 years old when they disappeared. At the time, John Rex lived near Hagerstown, Maryland but the girls were believed to have been abducted by their mother while in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania.
According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the girls were finally located and their mother was arrested. There is no word on what charges she may be facing at this time.
"I’m so grateful for everyone’s support in helping us get to this day. Time froze three ago when my beautiful girls were suddenly taken from my life," John Rex said in a statement shared by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "I’m overjoyed and now focusing on getting the girls back home with me. I ask for privacy at this time as we navigate the coming days. Thank you.”
Police in Waynesboro urged residents to keep an eye out for the missing girls in 2022, believing they might be hidden "in plain sight," by Lashada Lee who was wanted on violations of custodial rights, according to court records.
"This is an amazing outcome and it is a great day at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children," said Angeline Hartmann, the Director of Communications for the organization.
She told WUSA9 she'd worked with John Rex to get the word out about his missing daughter over the past three years.
She said around 2 p.m. Wednesday he got the call that his little girls had been found.
Hartmann said she spoke to him shortly after that call. "He is ecstatic as you can imagine. He said it's the best day of his life that his life can begin again," she said.
She told WUSA9 this gives hope to other families out there who are still searching for their missing loved ones.
"When a day like this happens it is renewed hope for a lot of families. Everybody makes a difference when it comes to a missing person case," she said.
She encouraged people to share and post about people who are missing and said you never know the impact you could have on helping that person be found.