Dad kidnaps kids at knifepoint, then abandons them (Moline, Illinois)

Father DELFINO SIERRA kidnapped his children from their mother at knifepoint. Then he abandoned them with a relative. (Doesn't really sound like the non-custodial dad was looking forward to some quality time with his kids, does it?) Mom had filed an order of protection against Dad before, as he has threatened to kill her.

http://www.wqad.com/news/wqad-amber-alert-guzman-sierra-70609,0,6662990.story

Mother waits and worries despite having children returned safely
Chris Williams 8 On Your Side Reporter
July 6, 2009

MOLINE, Illinois - A Quad City mother is relieved to have her children back tonight but she is living in fear as a suspected kidnapper is still on the loose. The children went missing Sunday morning and an Amber Alert was issued within hours sending investigators scrambling to find them. News 8's Chris Williams has details on how the family's coping and what a relative of the suspect thinks of the ordeal.

Ruth Guzman and her two children were reunited late Sunday afternoon. The saga began at their 4th Street home in Moline a dozen hours earlier. Police say the children's non-custodial father showed up with a knife, took the children and ran.

Tonight we're learning more about the relationship between Ruth and the man police are looking for. They're details that have Ruth on edge until the suspect is behind bars."I'm just really happy they're with me again", Guzman said holding her children. She took solace knowing her children were finally back by her side but she's far from relaxed.

"I'm scared. I just think he's going to come up and knock on my door", she told us.

She fears the children's non-custodial father, Delfino Sierra will come back. Moline police charged Sierra with 2 counts of aggravated kidnapping, 2 counts of child abduction, home invasion and residential burglary.

They say, just after 4am Sunday, Sierra walked into Guzman's Moline home with a knife, demanded the children from a babysitter, then left. Police issued an Amber Alert. Hours later, in Sterling, Illinois, one of Sierra's relatives called police saying he had dropped off the children and failed to pick them up.

Guzman claims it's the latest in an abusive relationship she left a few weeks ago after filing an order of protection against Sierra. Ruth explained, "He left several messages saying he was going to kill me if I didn't go with him and I was afraid he was gonna kill my kids.

"Police don't know where Deflino Sierra is tonight but they're looking in a number of places including Moline and Sterling. The authorities have toured a sleepy Sterling neighborhood quite a bit in the last 24 hours looking for any sign of the suspect. They feel confident he's been here.

His cousin, who goes by the nickname "Pelon", would only talk with us if we agreed not to record his voice on tape. "Pelon" says the family knew Sierra and Ruth Guzman had relationship problems so he didn't think much of Sierra's unannounced visit Sunday. He told us, Sierra dropped off the children who were wearing only diapers and said he would come back but never showed. 3 hours later he called police.

"Pelon" is worried about his cousin because he says he hasn't heard from him since and he knows police are looking.

We went looking too at the address Sierra shared with Guzman and the children until a few weeks ago when she left taking the children and moving to Moline. No one answered the door of the mobile home when we knocked.

Police ask anyone with information on Sierra's whereabouts to call 911 and warn he should be considered armed and dangerous.