AMBER Alert Success Stories

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As of August 24, 2015 AMBER Alerts have helped rescue and safely return 772 children. Read some of the most recent success stories.

Feb. 22, 2015 – Texas

A 6-year-old girl went missing from her home in the middle of the night. The child was last seen in bed, but when the family checked on her, she was gone. A male acquaintance staying with them was also missing, along with the family’s van. An AMBER Alert was activated, including the use of cell phone messages via wireless emergency alerts with a description and license plate for the vehicle. A clerk at a gas station saw the alert and recognized the vehicle, along with  a suspicious man and a girl he claimed was his daughter. This information enabled police to focus their search efforts and locate the vehicle.  The child was safely recovered and the abductor was arrested.

Feb. 4, 2015 – Utah

A 2-year-old girl was abducted when the vehicle she was in was stolen, resulting in the activation of an AMBER Alert. A business owner who received the AMBER Alert on her cell phone via wireless emergency alerts noticed a similar vehicle parked outside and determined the license plate matched. When she approached the vehicle, she found the child crying inside and comforted the child until police arrived. The abductor’s associates also heard the AMBER Alert and convinced the abductor to turn herself in.

Dec. 18, 2014 – Kentucky

A 20-day-old child was taken when the vehicle he was in was stolen from a gas station. An unknown abductor jumped in the car and fled. The abduction prompted the activation of a multi-state AMBER Alert (Kentucky and Ohio), including the use of cell phone messages via wireless emergency alerts . The carjacker abandoned the vehicle quickly.   Two witnesses, in separate vehicles, spotted the car at a shopping center based on the license plate information received from the WEA message. The witnesses called 911 and the child was safely recovered.

Dec. 2, 2014 – South Carolina

Following a violent domestic dispute, a 3-year-old boy was abducted by his non-custodial father. Fearing for the child’s safety, law enforcement activated an AMBER Alert.  Within an hour of the AMBER Alert activation, multiple tips were received with sightings of the vehicle. Tips resulted from a radio broadcast, department of transportation signs, and wireless emergency alert cell phone messages.  When responding officers attempted to pull over the vehicle, the abductor lost control of his car and subsequently fled with the child. When approached by the searching trooper, the abductor used the child as a shield. After a brief altercation between the trooper and abductor, the abductor was arrested and the child was safely recovered.

Nov. 1 2014 – Kentucky

A 16-year-old girl took her 9-day-old infant from foster care, which prompted an AMBER Alert due to the child’s critical medical needs. She took the child to friends in another state and left. One of the individuals at that location saw the AMBER Alert and contacted law enforcement, leading to the safe recovery of the child. The mother was located later at a second location.

Oct. 30, 2014 – Washington

As a father was putting his 1-year-old son into a car seat, he noticed his vehicle had been damaged. While looking at the vehicle, he saw the child’s non-custodial mother approach. She physically assaulted him and abducted the child. Law enforcement activated an AMBER Alert and included the use of cell phone messages via wireless emergency alerts . Within minutes, two individuals received the AMBER Alert on their phones and noticed the listed car was driving in front of them. They notified authorities and followed the car until law enforcement was able to pull the car over and safely recover the child and take the abductor into custody.

Oct. 28, 2014 – Maryland

A woman went missing with her 2-year-old and 1-year-old children. A multi-state AMBER Alert was activated because she had recently made threats against her life and the lives of her children. The abductor received calls telling her about the AMBER Alert, prompting her to contact police. They responded to her location and safely recovered the children.

Oct. 15, 2014 – Montana

A 7-month-old child was abducted by her non-custodial mother. The abductor’s past history created concern for the safety of the child, which prompted the activation of an AMBER Alert in two states. The abductor travelled out of state and someone at the residence had seen the AMBER Alert and notified law enforcement. The child was safely recovered.

Sept. 28, 2014 – Wisconsin

Law enforcement had been unable to locate an 8-year-old girl following the apparent homicide of her mother and her mother’s boyfriend. The child was believed to have been abducted by her father and an AMBER Alert was activated, including the use of Wireless Emergency Alerts to cell phones. The child’s grandmother received the AMBER Alert on her cell phone and contacted police, leading to the safe recovery of the child and arrest of the suspect.

Sept. 23, 2014 –  New York

A 9-year-old girl was abducted by her non-custodial mother in the middle of the night. The abductor’s recent erratic behavior and mental history alarmed law enforcement who activated an AMBER Alert. Very shortly after the AMBER Alert was activated, an individual at a Synagogue heard the alert on the radio and realized the abductor and child were at the facility. Law enforcement safely recovered the child and took the abductor into custody.

Sept. 20, 2014 – California

A 10-month-old child was forcibly abducted by his father from his ex-wife’s home. In addition, the father’s criminal history created added concern for the child’s safety, resulting in the activation of an AMBER Alert. Upon hearing the AMBER Alert, the abductor fled from his girlfriend’s home and left the child behind. The girlfriend contacted law enforcement and the child was safely recovered.

Aug. 22, 2014 – California

A 4-year-old boy was abducted by his non-custodial mother.  Law enforcement, concerned for the child’s safety due to the abductor’s mental history, activated an AMBER Alert. A citizen heard the AMBER Alert broadcast over the radio and spotted the vehicle while traveling on a highway in a neighboring state. They called 911 and law enforcement was able to safely recovery of the child and apprehend the abductor .

Aug. 7, 2014 – California

A non-custodial mother abducted her 8-year-old son and 9-year-old daughter. The children were believed to be in danger due to her mental history and an AMBER Alert was activated. A couple of days later, police received a tip about a suspicious woman who appeared to be living out of a vehicle. The responding officers recognized the suspect and children from the AMBER Alert and the children were safely recovered.

July 9, 2014 – Iowa

After finding a deceased woman, police determined that she was likely killed by her significant other and that he was missing along with three children, aged 8 months, 6 years and 8 years. Law enforcement activated an AMBER Alert which quickly generated a number of tips, one of which identified the location of the children at the suspect’s relative’s home. The children were recovered and the suspect was arrested at a second location on homicide charges.

May 4, 2014 – Oklahoma

An 8-year-old girl was abducted by a man in a vehicle. An AMBER Alert was issued statewide. Police received a tip about a man behaving strangely and he fit the description of the suspect in the AMBER Alert. Police responded to the location and the suspect engaged in a physical altercation before driving away. Shortly after, police were able to arrest the suspect and recovered the child, who was found in a nearby wooded area.