Posts Tagged ‘Amber Alert’

Amber Alert Helps return missing Baby.

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

PLANT CITY – A missing Plant City baby was found in neighboring Manatee County Tuesday afternoon, less than a day after an Amber Alert had been issued for the child.

Rosa Sirilo Francisco reported her 2-month-old daughter Sandra had been kidnapped from the Plant City Health Department office just before 8:30 p.m. Monday.

A woman claiming to be an immigration offical put the baby in her car and said she was going to Miami, Francisco said. That prompted officials to issue an Amber Alert.

It was around 2 p.m. Tuesday when investigators received a 911 call directing them to 60th Avenue W and 34th Street in Bradenton. There, a woman handed the baby over to deputies and turned herself in.

An hour later, police announced Sandra had been found alive and well.

“We’re very relieved because so many times when an Amber Alert is issued, it does not end well. But the baby in this case is doing well and it’s a great ending,” Manatee County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Dave Bristow said.

Detectives took Amaila Tabata Periera into custod,y and said she will be charged with false imprisonment and impersonating a federal officer.

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What is Amber Alert?

Saturday, December 12th, 2009

Amber Alert is a critical missing child response program that utilizes the resources of law enforcement and media to notify the public when children are kidnapped by predators. Although the scope of the Amber Alert varies, the criteria for activation are fairly consistent.

Whether it is a local, regional or statewide program, law enforcement activates an Amber Alert by notifying broadcast media with relevant identifying and case information when circumstances meets the following criteria:

  • The missing child is of a pre-determined age;
  • The law enforcement agency believes the child has been kidnapped;
  • The agency believes the missing child is under threat of serious bodily harm or death.

Once they receive the Amber Alert radio and television stations interrupt regularly scheduled programming to notify the public that a child has been kidnapped. Because 95% of all people driving in their cars listen to the radio, this is an extremely effective way of providing descriptions of the child, the kidnapper, vehicles or accomplices.

Initially prompted by citizen concerns following the tragic 1996 kidnapping and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas, the concept has been embraced by all segments of society.

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