Issue 67

For 2026 Issue 3, our cover story follows Jessika Svendgard, who escaped a sex trafficker at age 15 but faced a series of missed opportunities for help until a dedicated detective saw past her street persona and treated her with dignity. Today, she shares her experience in AATTAP-NCJTC child sex trafficking trainings to help law enforcement “connect the dots” and see the child behind the case.

For our “Faces” spotlight, meet retired U.S. Marshal Bill Boldin. He spent decades hunting fugitives. Then a federal law gave him a new target: the children no one else was looking for.

For AMBER Alerts in action, our “Frontlines” article focuses on the “app-to-app trap.” The case involved a free Chipotle delivery, a gaming server, and a 23-hour drive. Learn how an alleged groomer from Nebraska lured two Florida sisters—and how investigators worked to bring them home.

We also offer AMBER Alert-related news briefs from the U.S., Indian Country, and around the globe.

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Features

Hidden in Plain Sight

Jessika Svendgard survived not only a sex trafficker, but an entire system of near misses. Her story—and the experts determined [..]

The App-to-App Trap

How coordinated digital forensics, platform [..]

Marshaling a Cause

Bill Boldin, retired U.S. Marshal, [..]

U.S. Briefs

Rapid Social Media Mobilization Locates Missing Siblings in Kentucky

Although the case did not meet the strict criteria for an AMBER Alert—which require evidence of an abduction and immediate danger—Georgetown, Kentucky, Police utilized a...

Drones and AMBER Alerts Lead to Safe Recovery in Castroville, California

Following an abduction of a 4-year-old at a Monterey, California, motel, the suspect, Daniel Hutchens, fled in a rental car at speeds exceeding 100 mph....

Operation Safe Return: 37 Missing Minors Recovered

A large-scale law enforcement sweep in Riverside County, California, known as Operation Safe Return, has successfully recovered 37 missing minors. The collaborative effort—involving local police,...

Coast-to-Coast MMIR Advocacy Prompts Indigenous Alert Laws

Recent Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) marches in states including Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, and Alaska highlight a nationwide demand for interagency coordination. With...

High-Risk Missing Teen Located Safely Within 30 Minutes

The rapid recovery of a 13-year-old Native American teen in Great Falls, Montana, provides a powerful blueprint for resolving high-risk missing youth cases. The juvenile,...

Legislative Update: Strengthening Recovery Efforts in Indian Country

The Tribal Warrant Fairness Act (H.R. 7490) marks a critical shift in missing child recovery. Historically, jurisdictional gaps prevented the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) from...

EU’s ePrivacy Derogation Expiration Brings New Challenges to Missing Child Recovery

A critical legal shift in the European Union has created a "safety gap." On April 3, 2026, the temporary derogation to the EU's ePrivacy Directive...

Bengaluru’s ‘Safe City’ Tech: Automated Dispatch Cuts Rescue Times to 4 Minutes

Bengaluru City Police in India are setting a global standard for rapid child recovery, reuniting six missing children in 12 days with response times as...

Early Morning Public Tip Secures Safe Recovery of Two Boys

At 4:25 a.m. on a Sunday, the Sûreté du Québec broadcast a provincewide alert for a 2-year-old and 4-year-old abducted from Trois-Rivières. Despite the broadcast...

AMBER Advocate Magazine