Children found safe, officials review use of Amber Alert

In the months leading up to Thursday morning when Kim Brune allegedly abducted her young sons, she made increasingly disturbing reports to the Carson City Sheriff's Department, records indicate.

In Brune's last call to 911 on Tuesday from her Roop Street apartment, she reported finding a box of chocolates on her counter, which she believed came from two ex-boyfriends working in a "joint venture" to stalk her.

But Brune's 10 other reports since January were more ominous. In some she alleged her son's chapped lips indicated sexual assault. In others, she said her husband was spiritually abusive, or that she received messages that her attorney was having a heart problem. Several calls came in between 3 and 6 a.m.

The unpredictable nature of Brune's behavior led investigators to request an Amber Alert - reserved for abductions in which it's feared children are in danger - after Brune allegedly kidnapped Nicholas, 5, and Kyle, 7, from their father's Timberline Drive home Thursday morning, said Sheriff Ken Furlong.

"This was one of those cases that was very marginal and we had to err on the side of the children," Furlong said. "We couldn't reliably determine what her mental state was. She is the biological mother, so surely she would not harm them. But we've seen cases all over the country where we see the biological mother do something crazy."

According to police reports, Chris Brune, who has custody of his sons, told investigators he got out of the shower about 6:45 a.m. and noticed his boys missing. He called police after a neighbor reported seeing his estranged wife leaving with the boys.

As deputies scoured the city looking for Kim Brune's Toyota RAV4, the Carson City Sheriff's Office approved the use of "A Child is Missing" reverse phone calls. By 10:30 a.m., 1,800 calls went out to homes in the surrounding 15 miles telling of the abduction.

When they still had not found Brune, said Furlong, the decision was made to issue an Amber Alert.

Now, they had to convince Amber Alert officials the alert was warranted.

"It was quite difficult," said Furlong, noting that parental abductions do not traditionally meet the strict criteria.

There's a concern among officials that if an alert goes out too often, the public will be more inclined to ignore one. What makes the program work is the benefit of having everyone looking for a lost child, said Furlong.

But what made this unique, he said, was Brune's "behavior could not be determined, so we had no idea whether or not she'd harm those children."

An Amber Alert was issued by 11 a.m.

Ultimately, said Furlong, Carson City detectives determined Brune was in Vacaville. Police there located Brune and the boys, unharmed, near a shopping center about 12:30 p.m.

Vacaville Police Sgt. Ian Schmutzler said Brune was combative with officers and had to be restrained. She was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest, pending a warrant from Carson City for child abduction.

"She'll be arraigned in California just on the misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, then she'll be extradited to Nevada," said Schmutzler.

Carson City Capt. Ken Sandage said the children were reunited with their father in Vacaville later that afternoon.

Furlong said he was comfortable with the decision to put out an Amber Alert in this case, only the second time the program has been used in Carson City since its inception in 2002.

"In hindsight you hope to God you made the right decision, you really must be accurate," he said. "I think we made the right decision. I'm good and the children are safe."