Atlanta ( CNN ) -- First it was the start of winter vacation . Then Christmas Eve and Christmas passed , as had Henry Cleary 's eighth birthday . But finally -- after 10 days away from home , with his mother and the rest of their family unaware of where they were most of that time -- Henry and his older brother , Ben , should soon be heading back to Georgia . The two boys were found Saturday evening in Austin , Texas -- about 950 miles west of their hometown of Roswell , an Atlanta suburb -- Austin Police Lt. James Nisula told CNN . The brothers are safe . And the man who is suspected of taking them , their father Daniel Cleary , is in police custody , according to Nisula . He will be charged with interstate interference with custody , a felony , and extradited back to Georgia , according to Roswell Police Lt. James H. McGee . `` I 'm ecstatic , I 'm in shock , '' Theresa Nash , soon after hearing the news and getting off the phone with her boys . Her joy was a far cry from what she was feeling a few hours earlier . Nash said she did n't know why her estranged husband did not bring the boys home as planned Wednesday from a trip to Tennessee that began December 19 . She told CNN affiliate WSB-TV that she had not heard from Daniel Cleary since December 22 . In an emotional plea on CNN Saturday , she asked for the boys to be brought home safely . `` He 's trying to take care of them , '' she said of her estranged husband . `` But I think it 's a scary situation for everybody at this point . '' Police first issued an Amber Alert for the suspect and his two sons on Thursday , eight days after they were last seen in Georgia . `` Suspect & children are believed to be traveling in a 2002 silver Jeep Grand Cherokee ... traveling on west side of Nashville , TN , on Interstate 40 , '' the alert stated . The next day , authorities released pictures of the father and his two boys taken from surveillance cameras December 23 and December 24 at a Walmart in Jackson , Tennessee . Still , they did n't know exactly where they were . That changed Saturday , soon after Theresa Nash went on CNN , clutching Ben 's beloved teddy bear and Henry 's stuffed hippo as she sat beside a picture of the two boys . `` This vacation has been overdue . It 's time to come home , and we welcome you home ... safely , '' she said , addressing Daniel Cleary . `` Your whole family is behind this , as is my whole family . We are working together , and we really want you to come home . '' A person at the Crossland Austin West hotel in Texas had been watching CNN , recognized the Cleary brothers and called 911 , said Austin police Lt. Wuthipong Tantaksinanukij . After getting that tip around 5:11 p.m. CT , officers went to the hotel and , as `` they started setting up , saw the suspect coming out of one of the rooms with the two children , '' Tantaksinanukij said . `` He was taken into custody without further incident , '' said the police spokesman , noting Daniel Cleary is now at the Williamson County Jail . Authorities looking into the case subsequently found `` a handgun -- a pistol -- and a large sum of money . '' Tantaksinanukij said he did n't know why the boys and their father ended up in Austin , or how long they 'd been there . But he said the case might not have been solved Saturday night without the alert citizen , as well as the Amber Alert system that publicizes news of missing and endangered children on highways , in police stations and around the United States . `` The law enforcement community nationwide , we take these Amber Alerts seriously when it deals with kids , '' Tantaksinanukij said . `` This was one of the cases where it was activated and it worked . '' Around the time her estranged husband was being taken into custody , Nash said she got a call from a man who said , `` I 'm sitting here with your two sons . '' He then handed the phone to the boys . Unaware of the commotion , the boys said Daniel Cleary had told them their mother was in the hospital , Nash said . They talked about other things as well -- like the birthday boy Henry bragging about how he 'd been kicking Ben 's butt on iPad games , and Nash telling them she 'd gotten the brothers an Xbox for Christmas . `` They were all joy , '' she said . For now , her boys are healthy and with police , `` doing what kids should be doing right now -- they 're playing , '' said Tantaksinanukij . Nash said Saturday night that she was flying first thing to Dallas , then renting a car and driving to Austin . She does n't know where or when she 'll pick her sons up , `` but we have plenty of time to figure it out . '' She thanked the media for showcasing her family 's story , and was taken aback by how much things changed for her and her family in a moment 's notice . `` It is amazing , '' Nash said . `` I had lost hope . '' CNN 's Jason Morrell and Chandler Friedman contributed to this report .
NEW : A person alerted police after seeing the missing boys on CNN , police said . Daniel Cleary failed to return his car as planned and had n't been heard from . An Amber alert went out Thursday ; the boys ' mother pleaded Saturday for their return . ` ` It is amazing . I had to hope , '' their mother says , shortly after talking to her son .