By Nadin Abbott and Miriam Raftery

August 9, 2013 (San Diego’s East County) – Two major developments have occurred in the search for missing Lakeside children Hannah Anderson, 16, and her brother, Ethan, 8.   Tonight, San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore announced that remains found in murder/kidnapping suspect James DiMaggio’s home in Boulevard have been identified as Ethan.  The children’s mother, Christina Anderson, was found murdered inside the burned home, the Sheriff has reported.

Earlier today, DiMaggio’s car was positively identified in the rugged Frank Church wilderness area near the River of No Return in Idaho.  During a live feed from KTFB in Idaho, Acting Public Information Officer Andrea Reardon of the Valley County Sheriffs Department confirmed that horseback riders “came across a man and a woman near Moorhead Lake” about six miles from where the car was later found. The pair matched the descriptions of DiMaggio and Hannah Anderson.

"We are hoping. We're keeping the faith; our little girl is coming home." -- Sara Britt, grandmother

By Nadin Abbott

August 6, 2013 (Lakeside) A very emotional gathering of friends, classmates and residents of Hannah and Ethan Anderson met at El Capitan High School tonight in Lakeside  to hold a vigil for the missing children. Those present lit candles and at the end of the ceremony let balloons lose to signify hope.

The children were declared missing and a statewide Amber Alert was issued by the authorities for Hannah, 16, and her 8-year-old brother, Ethan, Monday. On Sunday night, the body of their mother, Christina Anderson, and an unidentified child’s body were found in a burned home in Boulevard. 

Authorities have stated that Christina Anderson was murdered. They have not identified the child’s body found. Police believe that one or both children have been abducted by James Lee DiMaggio, a friend of their mother.