Issue 51

The third issue of 2022 of the AMBER Advocate features the work of our AMBER Alert in Indian Country program to distribute Technology Toolkits to Tribal law enforcement agencies across the country. Our “Front Lines” story spotlights the incredible attention and diligent work of an Idaho state trooper in safely recovering an 11-year-old Georgia boy abducted by his father. Meet Lieutenant Stacie Lick of New Jersey, whose leadership and commitment has been central to bringing Child Abduction Response Teams (CARTs) to her state. Read about AMBER Alert and other endangered missing persons work underway through news briefs from across the U.S. and internationally.

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Features

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Technology Toolkits on the Move

Durable cases outfitted with high-tech equipment to aid tribal law enforcement during missing child cases are making their way throughout [..]

On the Front Lines: Road to Recovery

A Georgia 11-year-old, abducted by [..]

Faces of the AMBER Alert: New Jersey

Lieutenant Stacie Lick, who created [..]

Web Exclusive: Playing by the Rules Pays Off

Following procedure and ensuring documentation during the high-profile Autumn Pasquale case safeguarded a New Jersey Child Abduction Response Team (CART) from wrongdoing after its first deployment.

Pennsylvania judge recommends dismissing AMBER Alert suspect’s lawsuit

A federal judge has recommended terminating a lawsuit against the Northumberland County Children & Youth Department in Pennsylvania. Sawsan Hadidi filed a $5 million suit against the agency after an AMBER Alert was issued when she left her home with her children. Hadidi was arrested in Chicago in September 2020 and later pleaded no contest to concealing her children.

Alaska updates its emergency notification system

Alaska State Troopers launched a new statewide system to issue AMBER Alerts and other emergency notifications. The new tool allows Alaskans to subscribe to email and SMS alerts related to significant law enforcement activity in an area, evacuation information, missing persons bulletins, suspect information, and other timely alerts. Alaskans can sign up for alerts at alerts.dps.alaska.gov/subscribe.

Couple wanted in AN AMBER Alert attempts to sue Texas police

Two women plan to sue the Harker Heights, Texas, Police Department for issuing an AMBER Alert and accusing the couple of kidnapping a 2-month-old girl. The women said the baby’s mother left the child with them and was planning to give them legal guardianship. Police issued the alert after the baby’s father claimed the couple would not give the child to him.

North Carolina police consider charges against teen who faked abduction

The Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Police Department is investigating a 17-year-old boy who sparked an AMBER Alert after he claimed he was kidnapped. The teen sent pictures and text messages to family members saying he had been abducted and the kidnappers wanted money or he would be killed. Police are considering charges because of the waste of law enforcement resources.

Texas boy suffers hearing loss after AMBER Alert blared through AirPods

Tech giant Apple is being sued after a 12-year-old boy said he suffered permanent hearing damage after getting a loud AMBER Alert while using his AirPods. The Texas boy said he was listening to a program at a low volume when a very loud AMBER Alert notification ruptured his eardrums. The boy’s parents said Apple failed to warn AirPods users about the design flaw.

Instagram Now Sharing AMBER Alerts

Instagram is now posting AMBER Alerts to notify the public about abducted children. The alerts are being placed on the social media platform in the U.S. and 24 other countries. Meta, the parent group of Instagram and Facebook, said Instagram will share the alerts in a designated area based on the user’s IP address and location. AMBER Alerts have been posted on Facebook since 2015. Google began issuing the alerts to users of its Search and Maps tools in 2012. “With this update, if an AMBER Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the alert will now appear in your Instagram feed,” said Meta Director of Trust & Safety Emily Vacher. The Instagram posts are part of a partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.

Indian Country Briefs

U.S. and Canada tribes spotlight Missing Indigenous Women Awareness Day

Tribal leaders and other U.S and Canadian public officials recognized National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness (MMIW) Day on May 5.

Hundreds of Yakama Nation members gathered in Toppenish, Washington, to share stories and pray. They marched with signs reading “No more lost sisters.”
The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe held a march in Kitsap, Washington, to bring awareness to the plight of missing and murdered indigenous women.
In Madison, Wisconsin, members of state tribes gathered for MMIW Day at the state capitol and read the names of all missing indigenous women who have been found dead in the state. “This epidemic of missing and murdered Native women and girls must stop,” said Shannon Holsey, president of the Stockbridge Munsee Community, one of the state’s 11 federally recognized tribal nations.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem issued a proclamation for MMIW Day. Noem highlighted the actions she has taken to address the ongoing crisis, including establishing investigation procedures for missing Native women, creating a missing person clearinghouse, and developing and fully funding the Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
In Saskatchewan, Canada, the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) also declared May 5 as National Red Dress Day to encourage protections for tribal members from all forms of violence. “Our First Nations women and girls must be protected from the unacceptable levels of violence experienced in Canadian society and our communities,” said Chief Bobby Cameron.

New Washington State alert addresses high rate of missing indigenous people

A first-of-its-kind alert system for missing indigenous women and people was signed into law in Washington state in March 2022. The system helps distribute information about missing Native Americans much like an AMBER Alert. Washington has the second-highest number of missing indigenous people in the U.S.

International Briefs

Quebec to launch Silver Alert for missing seniors

Quebec’s provincial police force, the Sûreté du Québec, plans to launch a Silver Alert pilot program to help find missing seniors. The police agency estimates that 800 missing seniors would qualify for the alert every year. The Silver Alert would send the public essential information when a senior with neurocognitive challenges, such as Alzheimer’s disease, goes missing. Police were originally opposed to the alert, fearing it would desensitize the public’s response to AMBER Alerts.

AMBER Alert Europe global campaign warns against sharing nude pictures

AMBER Alert Europe has launched a worldwide campaign to urge people to stop sharing naked images. The campaign addresses the dangers minors face when sharing self-generated naked images, otherwise known as “nudes.” The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) found a dramatic 77% rise in self-generated naked teen pictures shared online since 2019, and that one in three teenagers have admitted to seeing non-consensually shared nudes. “These kinds of self-generated images can have far-reaching consequences on (a teen’s) health and wellbeing; and once shared, could also lead to sexual extortion and coercion – even criminal charges,” said AMBER Alert Europe Chairman Frank Hoe. The campaign’s video and posters are being shared in 27 countries.

Petitions seeks alert system for autistic children in Ontario

Several online petitions are seeking an AMBER Alert-like system for missing autistic children after the body of an 11-year-old Lindsay, Ontario, boy was recovered in a river. Draven Graham had a sensory irritation to touch and would not answer to his name. The petitions are asking for a “Draven Alert” for missing autistic and vulnerable/special needs children. Some suggest expanding the alert for autistic adults.

3D posters add new dimension to finding missing children in England

After the AMBER Alert became widespread, pictures of missing children no longer appeared on milk cartons. Now a London-based charity, Missing People, is taking the effort a step forward by using digital billboards with 3D portraits of missing children. The pictures look “live” with blinking eyes and tilting heads. The billboards have a QR code to help spread the image and information on social media. The signs also use the words “help find” instead of “missing” because behavioral scientists say this will give the public a call to action.

AMBER Advocate Magazine