TEXAS – Amber Hagerman, 9, was abducted and murdered in Arlington, Texas 28 years ago.
The AMBER Alert system, which stands for America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response, was named in her honor.
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According to police reports, Amber was kidnapped on Jan. 13, 1996 while riding her bicycle in a parking lot of an abandoned grocery store in Arlington.
A witness reportedly observed a man grabbing her off her bicycle and forcing her into his truck as she kicked and screamed.
Four days later, Amber’s body was discovered in a creek about four miles away, according to the AP. Autopsy results indicated that she died from cut wounds to the neck.
As of 2022, police said that they had received and investigated more than 7,000 tips related to the case but her killer has still not been found.
Following her tragic death, law enforcement and media in the Dallas-Fort Worth area established the first AMBER Alert program, serving as a model for the nationwide system to alert the public about abducted children.
Since it began, the national AMBER Alert system has played a crucial role in the rescue of more than 1,000 children.
Amber’s mother, Donna Williams, expressed her ongoing grief in 2022 about the death of her daughter.
“I miss her every day, and she (was) just so full of life. And I wanna know, why? Why her? She was only a little girl,” Williams said.
Authorities continue to hope that advancements in DNA technologies may provide new leads in the case.
AMBER Alert system created in 1996
Inspired by Amber’s story, Diane Simone from Dallas, Texas called an area radio station and asked if local broadcasters could team up with police to get information out immediately following a child abduction, according to NBC News.
As of May 1, 2022, the AMBER Alert program has aided in the recovery of 1,114 children, with wireless emergency alerts resulting in the rescue of 123 children. The system spans across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and internationally in 31 countries.
What are the criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts?
Each state maintains its own criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts, guided by the PROTECT Act of 2003, which designated an AMBER Alert Coordinator within the Department of Justice.
The Department’s Guidance on Criteria for Issuing AMBER Alerts is listed below:
- There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred.
- The law enforcement agency believes that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
- There is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.
- The abduction is of a child aged 17 years or younger.
- The child’s name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system.
January 13 is recognized as National AMBER Alert Awareness Day, commemorating the anniversary of Amber Hagerman’s abduction.
The Peacock Original documentary “Amber: The Girl Behind the Alert” provides insight into her life and the impact of her abduction and murder.