A group of more than 30 migrants, most of them Chinese citizens, was found inside a U-Haul truck Friday after a report of an alleged abduction, Florida authorities said. 

The discovery began when a security guard for a homeowners association in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables reported seeing an abduction around 9:35 a.m., Coral Gables Police Chief Edward James Hudak Jr. told reporters. 

The guard reported seeing a Toyota and a U-Haul truck involved in the incident and immediately alerted a patrol officer, the chief said. The officer then issued a BOLO, a be on the lookout alert, for the vehicles. 

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The vehicles were stopped by officers, and the woman who was allegedly abducted was taken from the Toyota. Officers then began investigating the U-Haul truck, which had 16 Chinese females, 15 Chinese males, one male from Cuba and a female from Ecuador, according to police.

“Officers opened the back of the truck, which revealed 21 predominantly Chinese nationals,” Hudak said.

In addition to the migrants in the Toyota were a Cuban man, a Brazilian woman and a man from Ecuador, police said.

“We do believe these individuals were brought here by the water,” the chief said. “They were probably dropped off, we’re assuming somewhere around the southern end of Coral Gables and approached on foot to the van where they were loaded into.”

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A U-Haul van where Chinese migrants were found is towed from the scene in Coral Gables, Florida on Friday.  (WSVN-TV)

Investigators were looking into whether the woman who was possibly being abducted was trying to escape her alleged smugglers. The Coral Gables Fire Department responded to provide medical care to the migrants, who were “tired” but in good condition, police said. 

“Today’s event is a prime example of why FDLE is supportive of the governor’s proposed special session to tackle illegal immigration immediately,” Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said. “The actions of law enforcement are an integral part in preventing these smuggling ventures that happen too frequently on our southern border.”

The migrants were handed over to the U.S. Border Patrol, and four others were taken into police custody related to the incident. 

“This started off as a crime,” Hudak said. “The police department responded to that alleged crime by a very alert citizen. By that, I mean I think we’ve saved some lives.”

Authorities patrolling the waters near the city stopped several vessels but have not identified the boat in which the migrants were transported, authorities said. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the police and U.S. Border Patrol. 

A Florida children’s author – known for penning stories about friendship – was charged alongside her husband for abusing and neglecting their adopted children, authorities said.

Jennifer Wolfthal, the author of “A Real Friend,” and her husband, Joseph Wolfthal, an engineer for Lockheed Martin, pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with great bodily harm, according to plea agreements obtained by Fox News Digital.

Jennifer Wolfthal will be sentenced to 12 years in prison, while her husband will be sentenced to 10 years behind bars, according to the plea agreement.

“This plea and sentencing agreement ensures that the Wolfthals will spend significant time in prison while it protects the already-traumatized victims from the stress of having to testify,” a spokesperson for the State Attorney’s Office in Florida’s 18th judicial circuit said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “The State Attorney’s office made sure law enforcement and the children’s new guardian supported this sentence before it agreed to it.”

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Joseph and Jennifer Wolfthal pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse and neglect of a child with great bodily harm on Jan. 13. (Seminole County Sheriff’s Office)

The investigation into the couple was launched in 2021 after their then 8-year-old adopted daughter was brought to the hospital with organ failure, unconscious and covered in injuries. The couple also had two other adopted children – a 9-year-old and 11-year-old. 

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“Due to the height and weight of [the girl], it is not likely the swollen bruise on the back of her head and the laceration on her lip and broken tooth were caused by off balance falls,” the police report reads.

READ JENNIFER WOLFTHAL’S PLEA AGREEMENT: APP USERS CLICK HERE

READ JOSEPH WOLFTHAL’S PLEA AGREEMENT: APP USERS CLICK HERE

While the girl was in the hospital, investigators visited the family home and said they found two other children with “symptoms of malnourishment, bruises and lack of care.”

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Police said the children’s bedrooms had their doorknobs installed backwards, with the locks on the outside.

During additional searches of the home, authorities found more than 1,100 written paragraphs reading: “My body stays flat on the bed at all times. I was never given permission to move or say anything. Now I get to write about this along with everything else. I am a fool.”

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Jennifer Wolfthal, the author of a children’s book titled “A Real Friend,” is set to be sentenced to 12 years in prison. Her husband faces a 10-year sentence. (Amazon.com)

The book is still for sale on Amazon, but reviewers have been filling the comments with links to news articles about the allegations against the author.

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Authorities also shared that all three of the Wolfthals’ adopted children were subject to other horrifying tales of abuse. Following the investigation, the children were moved to live with another family.

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Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and President-elect Trump met in Palm Beach, Florida, Friday, three days before Trump’s return to the White House.

“President Trump and I had a productive conversation about New York’s needs and what’s best for our city and how the federal government can play a more helpful role in improving the lives of New Yorkers,” Adams said in a statement shared by his spokesperson, Fabien Levy.

“While we briefly touched on a number of issues, we specifically focused on the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas and how it will have a positive impact on public safety in our country; how we can bring manufacturing jobs back to New York, particularly in the Bronx; and how we can continue to make federal investments in New York City, especially when it comes to infrastructure.” 

The Democratic mayor, who is awaiting trial on federal corruption charges in April, said the pair didn’t discuss his legal issues in the meeting. 

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As president, Trump would have the power to pardon Adams. 

Adams faces charges he accepted luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from foreign nationals in exchange for corrupt acts.

Trump, who was convicted in a New York court last year for falsifying business records, has defended Adams in the past, claiming the charges against the mayor may have been brought because he criticized President Biden over the border. 

Trump said he would consider a pardon for Adams. 

“To be clear, we did not discuss my legal case, and those who suggest the mayor of the largest city in the nation shouldn’t meet with the incoming president to discuss our cities’ priorities because of inaccurate speculation or because we’re from different parties clearly care more about politics than people,” Adams said.

“Like I’ve always done, I will take every opportunity possible to advocate for New Yorkers and our city. And, after our discussion, I strongly believe there is much our city and the federal government can partner on to make New York City safer, stronger and more affordable. I thank President Trump for his time and attention and look forward to working with him to benefit all New Yorkers.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Trump for comment.

The Democratic mayor, who is awaiting trial on federal corruption charges in April, said the pair didn’t discuss his legal issues in the meeting.  (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

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Adams had been criticized by other New York politicians for the meeting. 

“The Trump agenda is not going to help move our city or the country forward. This pilgrimage is clearly about something else,” state Sen. Zellnor Myrie wrote on X this week. 

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander wrote on X that “Eric Adams should state immediately that he will not seek or accept a pardon from Donald Trump. New Yorkers deserve to know that their Mayor is putting their interests ahead of his own — and whether our tax dollars, or Turkish Airlines, will be financing his trip to Florida.”

President-elect Trump’s inauguration is Monday.  (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

“Who is this meeting for, New Yorkers or Eric Adams? Our city has too many problems right now for us to worry about if he’s fighting for New Yorkers or a hypothetical pardon for himself,” Scott Stringer, the former city comptroller, posted on X. 

Lander and Stringer are running for mayor against Adams.