The search for a southern Alberta mother alleged to have abducted her two young daughters continues and RCMP believe they may be headed for Saskatchewan or Vancouver Island.

RCMP was called to an elementary school in the community of Brant, near Vulcan, on Monday at about 10:45 a.m. for a possible parental abduction.

Officers were told that two sisters, Telisha Meisel, 12, and Taya, 6, did not return to class after recess and it is believed they are with their biological mother 48-year-old Trina Meisel.

“I spoke with the principal who advised that at approximately 10:05 in the morning the kids from the school were all out for recess and recess ended about 10:20 and when all the kids came back into the school, the two girls were not in their classrooms. The principal and the teachers went and searched the school and the entire grounds and when they did not find the girls, they contacted RCMP,” said RCMP Cst. Greg Hendry.

Police say Trina Meisel does not have legal guardianship of the girls and a warrant for her arrest on two counts of abduction was issued by RCMP on Tuesday.

“There was a witness outside the school that saw a vehicle matching the description of the mother’s vehicle waiting outside the school,” said Hendry.

RCMP say it looks like the oldest daughter Telisha was aware their mother was coming for them.

"We believe that there was prior discussion and the daughter had told a friend of hers on the bus this morning that her mom was coming to school today to pick her up and take her to B.C.," said Cst. Hendry.

Trina Meisel’s family told investigators that she posted a message on her Facebook page saying she wanted to leave Alberta for good.

“We talked to the grandparents of the two girls who advised that the mother had posted comments on Facebook about leaving High River and never coming back,” said Hendry.

Trina's mother Darlene Beutler says she believes a recent custody battle spooked her.

"She knows, bring them back, face reality," said Beutler. "They need to go to school and they need to live normal lives."

They are thought to be travelling in a 2007 black Honda CRV with Alberta licence plate ORNRSE.

The Missing Children Society of Canada released a description of the three on Tuesday.

Taya Zamra Meisel is described as:



6 years old

Caucasian

107 cm tall

Weighs 29 kg

Medium build

Long blonde wavy hair most often worn in a ponytail

Wears prescription glasses

Talisha Jayden Meisel is described as:



12 years old

Caucasian

152 cm tall

Weighs 35 kg

slim build

long blonde wavy hair

Wearing a turquoise green sweater, a grey stripped t-shirt and blue jeans

Trina Marie Meisel is described as:

48 years old

Blonde

173 cm tall

Weighs 86 kg with a heavy build.

Police say an Amber Alert was not issued because the children were not believed to be in imminent danger.

“In order for an Amber Alert to be issued there’s four criteria that needs to be met and one of the criteria was not met for the Amber Alert to be issued at this time,” said Hendry. “We did not believe that the two children were in serious, imminent danger and that’s why the Amber Alert was not issued.”

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Taya and Talisha Meisel, you are asked to call the Vulcan RCMP detachment at 403-485-2266 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).

Information can also be reported to MCSC confidentially through their 24-hour toll-free TIP line at 1-800-661-6160 or by email at tips@mcsc.ca.