most frustrating experience with the Amber Alert system

[Dobela]

A child is missing from the next county. She is 2 and was taken by a female caregiver.

 

Today I took my kids to a local fast food restaurant and there was this adorable 2ish year old that was very attracted my dd3. The orders took a long time to place and the girls spent a lot of time looking at each other and doing those cute things toddlers do. I really noticed this child because she is the same race as my child, about the same size as mine, and honestly, I was really interested in her hair style to get new ideas for my dd's hair. The women she was with weren't too friendly, but it was hot, and well, not even I was chatty or outgoing like I normally am.

 

Anyway, when I came home a couple of hours later, a local news station had posted online the state wide Amber Alert with pictures. Oh. My. Goodness. The child my dd had played with looked very, very much like that child and one of the women could have fit the description of the caregiver they gave. I told my dh and then my ds10 saw the picture and even commented how she looked like that child in the restaurant. So I made the decision to call the number posted with her alert and let the authorities know what I saw.

 

THE PHONE NUMBER DIDN'T WORK!!!! I tried 3 times thinking I had keyed it in wrong. Nope. The number would ring and ring and then I would get messages saying that the person at that number was not available. I couldn't even leave a message. No email address was given either.

 

After discussing it some more with dh, I decided to call the number posted on the state Amber Alert page. Nope, that one didn't work either. It was the State Police and I couldn't even get an answering service.

 

Finally I decided to call my local police department (as the Amber Alert page suggested) and tell them what I saw. By this time it is after 5pm. No one is answering the phone because it is after hours but eventually it passed me to an answering service where someone answered saying she was Officer XXX. I start explaining why I am calling. She is polite and then asks where the restaurant was. With my reply she tells me that the restaurant is in the county and that as the city police they cannot do anything about it. She then tells me to wait as she transfers me to the county police department!!!!!

 

So now I am talking to a new officer in the county police department. When I tell him that I may have seen the child in the Amber Alert, the man asks, What Amber Alert?" He goes on to say he had not heard about any Amber Alerts today but to continue with my story. I actually had to tell him where I saw the Amber Alert!!!

 

After I finished giving all the information, he said thanks and that he would pass it on for follow up. I don't know who he passed it on to, or even if he did. I can only pray that he did.

 

It has been another 5 hours, the child hasn't been found yet, and I am still really upset by all of this. I wonder, should I have called 911 instead of the other numbers?? It wasn't really an emergency I guess, because the child was long gone from that location. What if this had been my child, and someone had seen my child, but gave up and didn't call again?? Surely there is a better way??

[Denisemomof4]

:svengo::svengo::svengo::svengo::svengo:

 

I guess I would have called 911, but if you beat yourself up, I'll come and help. You most definitely did a wonderful job.

 

I just can't BELIEVE what you wrote. It will be SO UPSETTING if you find out that WAS the girl and....... I can't go there.

[Catwoman]

The incompetence you described is disgusting and inexcusable!

 

Heaven only knows how many other people may have seen the child and tried to call to report it, only to have the same experience you did.

 

Meanwhile, the poor child's family is thinking that everything possible is being done to find their baby!

 

Can you call the local tv and radio stations to let them know what's going on? It would seem to be a worthy news story, and would also provide additional publicity about the missing child.

 

Cat

[Dobela]

I sent an email to the reporter of the story before coming here telling what happened and that the phone number he posted didn't work. I guess I can only wait and see, and pray.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Wow. I am speechless. So much for the Amber Alert system.

 

I hope a reporter follows up on this.

[DianeW88]

I would phone your local TV station and explain the story to an investigative reporter. They may decide to pursue it.

 

Diane W.

married for 22 years

homeschooling 3 kiddos for 16 years

[KidsHappen]

:iagree: Terribly frustrating. I would be calling news reporters all over the state, county, hell country. Not only will it alert people to the problem it will give this particular child a fighting chance which she obviously needs. :grouphug:

[EmilyK]

That reminds me of a similar experience here in Oregon with the Kyron Horman case, though your story is worse:

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/07/web_exclusive_a_bloody_find_an.html

[Brenda in FL]

I would still try to follow up - maybe there were security cameras at the restaurant or nearby and maybe they used a credit card for there purchase. So even though it has been hours - they still might be able to get something from the lead.

 

I agree with the others about contacting the news stations.

 

How incredibly frustrating and incompetent!!!!

[justasque]

Don't beat yourself up about not calling 911. It probably goes to your local police, who you called directly anyway. DO continue to push the issue about the number(s) not working. You may or may not have saved this one but it will help the next one for sure.

[Barb_]

If it were me, I'd call 911 anyway. The more ways this goes into the system, the more chances for it to stick. I'm so angry and frustrated with you.

 

Barb

[Laurie4b]

I would keep following up as long and often as it takes. And THANK YOU for all that you did to try to help. You're right; not everyone would have kept at it.

 

I think contacting the reporter was a great idea. If you don't hear back from him, contact another news outlet.

[LibraryLover]

That's very disturbing.

 

But that article...weird. A bloody sock on a hiking trail?...shocking...stop the presses. That writer is delusional, imo.

[KidsHappen]

That reminds me of a similar experience here in Oregon with the Kyron Horman case, though your story is worse:

 

http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/07/web_exclusive_a_bloody_find_an.html

 

Oh good grief, crap like this just makes me want to scream. What in the h*ll is wrong with people? :001_huh:

 

I would like to report that I actually had a good experience with the law today. I was at my dd's volleyball game. Her school has a local law enforcement person (LLEP) assigned there. My other dd dropped her new cell phone behind the bleachers. This is on the top row where the seats attach to the wall. There is no access to behind the seats. So my youngest dd goes off to find help and finds LLEP who comes to help her. This LLEP is able to fit her teeny, tiny little hand between the wall and the bleacher and pull out her phone which I promptly confiscated. I also took the time to introduce myself and point out both my dd. I am certain that this particular job was not in her job description but she didn't tell me dd, "Sorry, I can't help you." If LLEP can be bothered to help a little girl get her cell phone then certainly it should be within reason to expect people to do their jobs in situations like these.

[scrappyhappymama]

That would be so infuriating!

 

Could you try calling law enforcement of the county where the abduction was reported? Surely they would know what you are talking about, and would be interested in a sighting the next county over.

 

Poor baby girl. Praying for her safety!!

[Dobela]

It was just announced that she was found early this morning and she is ok. :001_smile: She was found near her home, which is about an hour from me. I have not had any reply from reporters or the like. As frustrating as my experience was, I am so relieved she is found and ok.

[Quiver0f10]

It was just announced that she was found early this morning and she is ok. :001_smile: She was found near her home, which is about an hour from me. I have not had any reply from reporters or the like. As frustrating as my experience was, I am so relieved she is found and ok.

 

 

Wonderful news!!!

[AuntieM]

It was just announced that she was found early this morning and she is ok. :001_smile: She was found near her home, which is about an hour from me. I have not had any reply from reporters or the like. As frustrating as my experience was, I am so relieved she is found and ok.

 

So glad you found out, I know it would have continued to worry you. Glad that sweet baby is okay!

[Parrothead]

I'm glad the girl was found.

 

You'll probably never know if your information was useful or not. The girl you saw could have been the same child, but she could very easily not have been the one. Maybe the woman with the child had already been accused of kidnapping by strangers, which could easily have put her in a bad mood.

 

Don't blame the officer you talked to for his lack of knowledge about the kidnapping. If he did not know about the kidnapping he had not been given the information at muster. (We do not have local programming or local radio so I can see how someone would not know about a kidnapping in the next county unless told about it by another person.)

 

More than likely the Amber Alert system in your are is broken. Two different phone numbers did not work. That indicates to me a breakdown in the system. Probably a lack of funding.

 

As for the city officer transferring you to the county, it happens.. There is a little thing called jurisdiction. The officer could not do anything other than transfer you. Her hands were tied. You are actually lucky that you were transferred instead of told to find the number yourself to call the county.