ST. CHARLES • Two children allegedly abducted by their father Friday in St. Charles have been found safe in the Metro East, police said.

A woman dropped the children off unharmed shortly before 5 p.m. at a police station in Fairmont City, St. Charles Police Lt. Tom Wilkison said. Police were in the process of reuniting the children with their mother Friday evening.

It was unclear what relationship the children have with the woman who dropped them off at the police station, Wilkison said. It was unclear exactly how long the woman remained at the police station, he said. He did not have more details.

St. Charles Police cancelled the Amber Alert about 5:30 p.m. but were still looking for the children's father. Police described him as a person of interest in the ongoing investigation.

The alert was issued Friday after police said the children's father assaulted their mother and took the kids. They were abducted from the 2000 block of Santa Monica Street about 10:30 a.m. Friday, police said in a news release.

Police allege the children's father, Fernando Marez-Carreas, 24, assaulted their mother and threatened to kill one of the kids before leaving with the children and an unknown man and woman.