Update: 5:42pm EST
Police in Oregon say the mother of three children allegedly abandoned in a shed has been found. They released the following statement on Friday afternoon: "The mother of the missing children has been located, and we thank everyone who helped with information. We do not need any additional tips."
The search began on Thursday when the three children, all aged 3 and under, were found living among a group of homeless people inside an abandoned shed on a residential property in Portland.
CNN reports that the children appear to be related, with the youngest being a baby girl estimated to be 8-15 months old.
Local resident Judy Baxter said she notified a neighbor that there were homeless people gathered in an empty shed next door to his home but that she had no idea there were children among them.
"Little did I know they had three babies in the backyard," Baxter told the Oregonian. "It was real sad when we saw the kids come out.''
When police arrived, the homeless people on the scene told authorities they believe the children belong to a woman who abandoned them there on Wednesday night.
One of the children is a 2-year-old girl with long black hair and brown eyes. The oldest is a boy, estimated to be about 3, also with brown eyes and black hair.
This story has been updated from its original version to reflect new information in the search
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