McKinney police seek help finding two sisters at center of Amber Alert

McKINNEY — Authorities have issued an Amber Alert for two girls under the age of 10 who were last seen Thursday evening and are believed to have been taken by their paternal grandmother.

The girls’ father, who does not have custody of them, has been arrested in connection with their disappearance.

The alert for Jennifer and Jessica Burns was issued Friday morning at the request of the McKinney Police Department. They were last seen at a restaurant at 320 N. Central Expressway, near Virginia Parkway, about 6 p.m. Thursday.

“We are asking for the public’s help this morning in finding two little girls who were abducted in our city last night,” police spokeswoman Carla Marion Reeves said during a news conference Friday morning.

While at the restaurant, the girls were visiting with their noncustodial father — 34-year-old Justin Burns — with supervision from Child Protective Services, who had temporary custody of the children.

Justin Burns, who was at the restaurant when officers responded, was taken into custody on two counts of kidnapping and was being held Friday at the Collin County jail. It was not clear whether he had an attorney.

Jennifer Burns, 6, is described as white, 4 feet tall and about 60 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing purple glasses, a light blue shirt with a sparkle design on the front and blue jeans.

Jessica Burns, 9, is described as white, 4-10, and about 90 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing dark-framed glasses, a red long-sleeve shirt with black sleeves and blue jeans.

McKinney police are searching for 60-year-old Jame Burns, the sisters’ paternal grandmother, and have obtained two warrants for her on kidnapping charges, court records show. She is described as white, 5-2 and about 230 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair.

Jame Burns was last seen driving a black 2009 Ford Escape with Texas license plate MTC-6093. Police said the car has a scratch on the front, silver door handles and a black interior.

Reeves confirmed Jame Burns was not a part of the visit, and said the CPS social worker called 911 on Thursday night.

Jame Burns was arrested by Allen police in September 2021 on a count of abandoning or endangering a child by negligence, and court records show she was set to make a plea agreement Friday. Her attorney in that case could not immediately be reached for comment.

According to an arrest-warrant affidavit obtained by KTVT-TV (Channel 11), officers responded to the house Jame Burns shared with her son and three granddaughters — Jennifer, Jessica and their sister — for reports of a “possible disturbance involving methamphetamines.” The affidavit said she tried to drive off with the children, and when officers stopped the car, they found meth in the rear passenger floorboard.

“That’s why it is imperative at this time that we locate Jennifer and Jessica and get them back safely,” Reeves said of Jame Burns’ criminal record.

Anyone with tips or information should call McKinney police at 972-547-2758, but if you believe you have seen something that requires immediate attention, the department said to call 911 instead.

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