Authorities Search for Family Friend in Connection to Amber Alert

The hunt continues this morning for a California man after the remains of a woman and a child were found in his burned out home near San Diego.

The suspect is on the run, possibly with a 16-year-old girl. Now the children's family is pleading for a safe return.

“Overnight, a vigil of hope for children allegedly kidnapped by James DiMaggio,” reports CNN’s Miguel Marquez.

The children’s' father Brett Anderson made an emotional appeal speaking directly to DiMaggio following the vigil.

“Jim, I can't fathom what you were thinking. The damage is done,” Anderson said. ”I'm begging you to let my daughter go, you've taken everything else.”

Investigators believe DiMaggio killed Anderson's ex-wife and possibly his 8-year-old son, then kidnapped his 16-year-old daughter, Hannah.

“Hanna we all love you very much,” Anderson said, addressing his daughter. “If you have a chance, you take it. You run. You'll be found.” 

The case led to California's first statewide Amber Alert over cellphones late Monday night, with “road signs calling motorists' attention to the nationwide alert, investigators anxious to catch a break,” Marquez says.

Investigators are now updating pictures of the kids and the alleged kidnapper, “even a mockup of a bald James DiMaggio,just in case he's shaved his head to disguise his appearance.”

“Authorities are still analyzing the remains of a child found in the burned out home,” “Early Start” anchor John Berman reports.

“They won't say if it was 8-year-old Ethan Anderson, but his father did not mention the boy, when he called on DiMaggio to set his daughter free.”