Laura Bush & Rae Leigh Bradbury--the first
child recovered as the result of an AMBER
alert in 1998. She was 8 weeks old.
Today, the worst end to an AMBER Alert occurred in Chicago. Seven year old Jack and nine year old Duncan Connolly, along with their father, were found dead. The alert had been issued earlier in the month. In order for such an alert to be issued, there are a few guidelines that police need to follow.
The AMBER Alert system was named for Amber Hagerman who was abducted and murdered in Arlington, TX when she was nine years old. It became a backronym, meaning “America's Missing: Broadcasting Emergency Response.” For an AMBER Alert to be issued, the following guidelines must be met:
- Law enforcement must confirm that an abduction has taken place
- The child must be at risk of serious injury or death
- There must be sufficient descriptive information of child, captor, or captor's vehicle to issue an alert
- The child must be 17 years old or younger
The Department of Justice takes AMBER alerts seriously. They are used throughout the U.S. and Canada. If law enforcement believes a flight risk to another country, Boarder Patrol receives notice and is expected to search every car. Currently, only the U.S. and Canada have an AMBER Alerts system.
The alert will list as much information as possible about the victim—including name. Once the child is located, the name is removed and the alert canceled.
For more info: Father and two missing boys found dead, Five tips to protect against sex offenders, AMBER Alert Tickers, Missing & Exploited Children
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