Police: Missing Girl's Mother Found Dead in Dundalk Home

After the Baltimore County Police Department put out an Amber Alert for a missing 11-year-old girl, officials revealed her mother was found dead Thursday morning in their Dundalk home and they were concerned the girl was in danger.

UPDATE: Father of Missing Baltimore County Girl Charged in Mother's Murder

At 9:13 a.m. Thursday, officials responded to the residence where the child lived in the 3100 block of Ardee Way in Dundalk for a cardiac arrest and found Bobbie Jo Cortez, 36, deceased, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

The woman, who was the missing girl's mother, was found dead in the bedroom in a crime scene that officials said was "violent," ABC 2 News reported.

One of the people who lived in the house found the woman dead in her bedroom Thursday morning, according to police. The cause of her death was under investigation, police said.

At approximately 10:46 a.m., police issued an Amber Alert for 11-year-old Caitlyn Marie Virts, who is one of Cortez's daughters. 

Authorities said the child was abducted from the home and may be with her father, Timothy Howard Virts, 38, in a black 1999 Dodge Durango with Maryland license plate number 5AJ4458. The father is 6'3" and 280 pounds, police said.

"Police are concerned for the safety of Caitlyn Marie Virts since she is not supposed to be with her father," according to a statement the Baltimore County Police Department issued Thursday afternoon.

Timothy Howard Virts is considered a suspect in the child's abduction, police said.

Police believe he is driving the Durango registered to Daniel Williams Cortez, 38, the deceased woman's husband, who is at the Baltimore County Detention Center on various sex offense charges, according to police.

"Police do not know what, if any, relationship Cortez has with Timothy Virts and this homicide case," Baltimore County police said.

Caitlyn Virts' twin sister and brother, who also lived in the house, were safe in the custody of other family members, police said. Two other adults lived in the residence as well, and police said Thursday afternoon that it was not clear what their relationship with the deceased woman was. "Also, for the past several weeks Mrs. Cortez allowed Timothy Virts to live at the home," police said.

Anyone with information may contact 911 or Baltimore County police at 410-307-2020.