BOSTON -- Three children, the subject of Massachusett's first Amber Alert, were found safe in Southbridge, Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts State Police issued the Amber Alert when Chris Mannila told police his estranged wife, Tracy, took off with their three children Thursday afternoon from Dudley, Mass., about 4 p.m.

Mannila told police he was concerned for the children's safety, sparking the statewide notification system. Media outlets, including television and radio stations and electronic highway signs, all broadcast details on the missing children and asked the public to be on the alert.

Apparently, Tracy Mannila, 35, took her three children, Kayla, 9, Cody, 7, and Chase, 5, to visit with a family friend in Southbridge. She was being held by authorities.

The children's father, Chris, was escorted by Dudley Police to the the Southbridge Police station where he was reunited with his children.

Stay tuned to NewsCenter 5 and TheBostonChannel.com for the latest.