AMBER Alert issued for 6-year-old Rathdrum boy, 17-year-old brother also missing

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to reflect new information of a second vehicle law enforcement are looking for.

RATHDRUM, Idaho — Authorities are searching for two children who were last seen in Rathdrum on Sunday.

An AMBER Alert was issued Thursday afternoon for 6-year-old Leo Isador Hiibel-Cloutier. Shortly after, Rathdrum Police sent a press release saying they are also searching for his 17-year-old brother Gene W. “GW” Hiibel.

The boys are believed to be with their mother, 35-year-old Mimi C. Hiibel, who recently lost her parental rights for Leo. They were last seen at the Rathdrum Super One Foods on Sunday around 8 a.m. They were in the store parking lot for a custody exchange between the children’s father and mother.

“We learned through our investigation that she has most likely fled the area with the children,” said Sgt. Brandon Friis with the Rathdrum Police Department. “Once we determined that she left, and does not appear that she is returning the children, we sought an arrest warrant for kidnapping and issued an Amber Alert.”

On Monday, the courts took away her custodial rights for Leo.

Leo is 4-feet tall and weighs 70 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing black corduroy pants, a white t-shirt, black tennis shoes and a camouflage hooded jacket.

Gene is 5’11” and weighs 170 pounds. He has light brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a tan colored Carhart style jacket.

Mimi has green eyes and brown hair. She is 5’4″ tall and weighs 145 pounds. She also has the letter “J” tattooed on the back of her left hand near her thumb.

They were believed to be traveling in a white 1988 four-door Honda with Idaho license plate K670043, but law enforcement has since found the car abandoned. They are now looking for a black four-door 2012 Nissan, with Idaho license plate K616700.

Idaho State Police believed they could be heading to Oklahoma or Nevada.

Anyone with information is asked to call Rathdrum Police at 208-687-0711.