'She is safe!': Georgia teen abducted at gunpoint from her own home has been FOUND

• Ayvani Hope Perez, 14, was snatched from her home in the early morning hours Tuesday and word came Wednesday afternoon that she was found
  
• Will Jackson, 29, and Juan Alberto Rodriguez have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping
  
• Perez was kidnapped after her mother had no jewelry or cash to give two armed home invaders
• An alert had been posted by Georgia police since 4am Tuesday
  
• The invaders also shot the family dog
  

By Joshua Gardner

Published: 13:45 EDT, 18 September 2013 | Updated: 03:27 EDT, 19 September 2013

A Georgia teen who was snatched from her home in the middle of the night has been found alive.

Ayvani Hope Perez was taken from her Ellenwood home in the early morning hours Tuesday and since then very little was made known about the startling disappearance.

But on Wednesday, authorities announced Perez is in good health and with her family and that two men were in custody in connection to her terrifying ordeal.

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'She's safe!': Home invaders stole Ayvani Hope Perez, 14, away from her family Tuesday. The teen was returned to her family safe and sound Wednesday

'She is safe,' Clayton County Police Chief Gregory Porter announced as he kicked off a joyous, albeit brief, press conference, surrounded by members of the FBI, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, district attorney's office, and even Homeland Security.

But because the investigation is ongoing, Porter refused to say how exactly--whether it was driving in a car or locked inside a home-- Perez spent the last day and a half.

'She was recovered at a location in Conyers, Georgia,' Porter said. 'The investigation is still active.'

According FBI agent Rick Maxwell, two suspects have been apprehended in connection to the case.

One man, Will Jackson, 29, of Atlanta has been charged with conspiracy to kidnap.

The other, a Mexican national named Juan Alberto Rodriguez, was held on immigration charges only.

Maxwell and Porter both declined to elaborate on the suspects, short of saying that the two men in police sketches released by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation are still at large.

We got her: Clayton County Police Chief Gregory Porter made the announcement at a press event Wednesday afternoon but remained tight-lipped about how Perez was recovered

Ongoing: FBI assistant apecial agent Ricky Maxwell announced that two men were in custody but that the men in the police sketches remained at large. He declined to give further details due to the 'ongoing' case

Maxwell urged anyone with information regarding the two African American suspects to come forward.

Earlier on Wednesday, a law enforcement source confirmed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that there was a ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

However, Clayton County officials said they knew nothing of such a demand.

'We haven't heard anything about a ransom, I don't know how that got out,' Clayton County police Sergeant Kevin Hughes told Mailonline.

At the press conference Wednesday afternoon, both Maxwell and Porter refused to answer questions regarding the reported ransom, citing the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation.

They did not, however, deny there was a ransom.

In the hours following the kidnapping, friends, family, and even concerned strangers quickly posted Amber Alerts and other announcements on social media.

Terrified: The 4-foot-9, Hispanic teen was wrenched from her terrified mother around 2am Tuesday while she was still wearing her Star Wars pajamas. Police believed she was is in extreme danger

 

Unsuspecting: Clayton County Police Lt. Marc Richards updates the press at the Georgia subdivision once described as nice and quiet where Ayvani was snatched in the night

Pictured: Police sketches show the two African American men who authorities said took Ayvani after their demands for money and jewelry went unmet. Even after two men were apprehended Wednesday in connection to the crime, authorities said the men remained suspects and at large

Senseless: Two black males in dark clothing broke into Perez's Ellenwood, Georgia home at 2am Tuesday. When her mother had no valuables, they shot the dog and took Ayvani

A prayer vigil was also held at a local high school and 150 people attended.

‘She's so nice,’ one attendee told 11alive.com. ‘I don't know why people would do this to her. I'm praying just to get her home safely.’

Another classmate was struggling to come to grips with the situation.

‘I don't get it,’ said Sydney Chaquir. ‘It's not clicking in my mind why somebody would do this to her. It's like a dream.’

Clayton County Georgia police spokesman Phong Nguyen said Tuesday the invasion appears to be completely random.

‘It didn’t appear that they knew each other,’ he said. ‘They just moved in about a month ago.’

Relief: Around 150 of Ayvani's classmates and former classmates gathered at a Hampton, Georgia high school for a Tuesday night prayer vigil. Their prayers were answered Wednesday

Spreading the word: Many friends and even concerned strangers quickly took to social media to spread word of Ayvani's kidnapping and to gather information

Alert: Clayton County police monitor Brookgate Drive, a suburban street full of families where Ayvani had lived for just one month before she was snatched

Nguyen said the two African American males smashed through a back door of the home and Maria Perez quickly tried to hide her children, but the men found Ayvani.

The men wanted money and jewelry, but Maria had none to give, so they took the girl instead.

‘This is the time for the Clayton community and the community as a whole to come together,’ Clayton County Police Chief Gregory Porter said. ‘We’re trying to make sure that we bring her some safely.’

The abductors escaped with Perez in a grey Dodge or Chevrolet sedan and were described as wearing dark clothing.

Man hunt: A Clayton County Police officer questions a driver in the Brookgate subdivision. State, federal, and local officials have all joined the frantic search for Ayvani, which ended Wednesday with her joyous reunion with family

Worries: Toni Hill walks her granddaughter home from the bus stop Tuesday afternoon. Ayvani's unthinkable kidnapping now has nearby residents in Ellenwood, Georgia wondering if the once quiet area is still safe

Freightening: Kybria Jackson, 13, and Mykevius Hodges, 12, talk while Clayton County police officer, T. Lucas, right, checks outgoing and incoming traffic in the Brookgate subdivision

Vigilant: Clayton County police Sergeant K.T. Hughes, officer P. Nguyen and officer T. Lucas converse as night fell over Brookgate subdivision Tuesday

Perez was believed to be in extreme danger and a Levi's Call—Georgia's version of the Amber alert—was activated.

Authorities said Wednesday that Perez was healthy at the time of her reunification with her family.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation released sketches of the two men who kidnapped Perez from the 3800 block of Brookgate Drive.

Clayton County police urge anyone who may have information to call (678) 610-4781 immediately.

The search: Investigators quickly fanned out across Georgia with police checkpoints and helicopters searching for Ayvani on Tuesday

Unthinkable: The calm was shattered in the subdivision of Brookgate, which residents described as nice and quiet