Louisiana police revealed it took more than three hours for an AMBER Alert to be issued after a woman was found murdered and her two daughters were abducted on Thursday.

Tangipahoa Sheriff Daniel Edwards said he called the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association Executive Director to urge them to have state police issue the alert for Jalie and Erin Burnett, 6 and 4. The two girls were abducted and taken to Jackson, Mississippi, where Erin Burnett was found dead and her older sister was found injured, according to WVUE.

“The only thing I know, within five minutes, it was issued. What the cause of the delay was I can’t say. But it was something that was very frustrating for us and I’m sure very frustrating for the family,” Edwards said.

The girls’ abductions came to light after their mother, Callie Burnett, 36, was found slain in their mobile home in Loranger, Louisiana, as CrimeOnline previously reported.

The mother’s boyfriend, Daniel Callihan, 36, was also arrested in Jackson, Mississippi. He is believed to have killed Burnett before taking the girls out of state.

Mississippi police said they believe the spot where the two girls were found was being used for human trafficking.

“Based on the crime scene, what it looks like, this may be the place where there has been some human trafficking done,” he said. “We see cages, small animal cages. This is very, very disturbing to me as a police chief and as a father to witness and see what I saw.”

On Friday, Mississippi police announced a second suspect was arrested. Victoria Cox, 32, an acquaintance of Callihan’s, was arrested at the OYO hotel in Jackson. Cox’s involvement in the alleged murder and abductions has not been disclosed.

State police have not yet addressed Edwards’ claims.

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[Featured image: Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office]