"Bittersweet Thing"
Back in Texas, Glenda Whitson says she sides with those who see and hear too many Amber Alerts.

"I do think it's being overused," she said. "It was just supposed to be used for kids they knew were in danger, in cases where they knew there had been an abduction. Now they use it for runaways all the time, but there are thousands of runaways. You can't use an Amber Alert for a runaway."

Her opinion counts. Mrs. Whitson and her family have become seminal figures in national awareness about missing children.



Donna Norris

Her daughter, Donna Norris, testified before Congress and stood near President Bush when he signed federal Amber Alert legislation into law.



President Bush signs the federal Amber legislation.

"My little girl was abducted and butchered for this bill to even exist," Norris told reporters before the signing ceremony. "But it's saving children's lives. It's just a bittersweet thing."

That sadness is never far from the surface for the family.

Mrs. Whitson broke down during an interview—a recurring theme in her family's life, she said.

Her daughter, like everyone in the family, has what she called "sad days." Amber would have graduated high school this year.

"That was hard for her mother," Mrs. Whitson said. "Right about now Amber would be falling in love, maybe getting ready to get married, giving her mother grandchildren. Donna lost out on all of that."

Ricky Hagerman, now 16, is the focus of the family. He lives in Hurst, north of Arlington, where he plays high school football.

"He's a typical teenager," his grandmother said. "He wants a car, he wants a job so he can have some pocket money. But he's a good kid."

She said the family was opening gifts last Christmas when Ricky broke down.

"He still thinks about her all the time," Whitson said. "She was like his second mother. He says he misses her."

"I Hope They're Safe'

Last year, Arlington officials planted a tree in memory of Amber Hagerman near the scene of her abduction.



Amber's Tree

Jimmie Whitson, her grandfather, helped build a sturdy wrought-iron fence around it, and the family decorates it with pink ribbons, Amber's favorite color.

The Whitsons pass the totem nearly every time they come or go from their home.

Glenda Whitson said she can't look at the tree without thinking of her granddaughter and that brief bicycle trip.

"All the kids still ride bikes around here," she said. "I suppose most of them don't even know what happened 10 years ago in this neighborhood. Maybe some of the parents don't either. Sometimes I see little-bitty young ones go by. I stop and say to myself, 'I hope they're safe.'"



Amber Hargerman montage

Web Links:

Code Amber: The Web's Amber Alert System: www.codeamber.org
Government Amber Alert Site: www.amberalert.gov
Amber Alert Portal: www.amberalert.com
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: www.missingkids.com
Gina DeJesus Website: www.findgeorgina.com


New Amber Alert GPS Helps Track Kids
http://www.amberalertgps.com

Child Offenders Registry
www.protectyourchild.com

Nearly 500,000 Offenders On File
Get Maps, Photos & Offense Info
www.NationalAlertRegister.com

Worldwide Social Network for Police Officers

Police Pulse
www.policepulse.com

http://www.klaaskids.org/pg-amberplan.htm

-The Storm-




The storm is big and deadly as it sweeps across my room,

I'm shielded by my brother who's getting beaten with a broom.

He makes no sounds, he's so strong as he takes every hit,

If he'd just stayed in his room, he wouldn't have been touched one bit.

He runs to my protection, making sure that I am safe,

I wish the storm would go away, it's the only thing I hate.


A long time later, the storm is gone, screeching away in the car,

Headed off some other place, probably the nearest bar.

My brother's lying in his room, curled up on his bed,

I look at him and start to cry, bruises, scratches, open wounds,

Covering his head.

His eyes open as he hears my steps and for some reason he smiles,

He wipes away my tears and says "Don't cry pretty Cinda, hop up on the bed with me, lets sleep for a while."

Time goes by I start to drift, completely safe I feel,
Against my back, his beating heart, his arms create my shield.


Hours now, it's full black, we awake to a bang outside,

The storm is back, my brother yells "Quickly Cinda, Hide!"

Outside the door we hear the storm come loudly up the stairs,

I look up to see my brothers eyes, for my safety he is scared.

He lifts me up in his arms as he drops down to his knees,

So softly he places me under his bed, praying that the storm won't see.

Just in time he's on his feet as the storm blows open the door,

What happened to my brothers feet? I don't see them anymore..

Seconds later I hear a bang on the other side of the room,

His body smashes to the ground, but I don't see him move.


Tears are pouring down my face as I let out a little squeek,

The storm is mad and pulls me out but I can't fight it, I'm too little, too weak.

I feel it's grip on both my wrists as it's pulling them apart,

My back is hurting and I am screaming, I'm trying to kick but I can't.

My brother's crawling across the floor, he's now too weak to stand,

His arm is broken, can't move both legs, he's pulling with just one hand.

His face is covered, his shirt is soaked, in a red so dark, so deep,

I'm squinting my eyes and I'm screaming out loud, wishing we could just go back to sleep.


I wish it was over, I can't take this pain as I'm thrown down to the floor,

My brother scrambles to his feet, crouches over my body, trying to protect once more.

I feel his trembling body on me as it tries its best to protect,

His eyes can't focus, he can't move, he can barely lift his head.

I feel the storm yank him up, and by his leg, pull him down the stairs,

He didn't do anything, he doesn't deserve this, his life is so unfair.


As he's getting dragged down the hallway, I'm still crying on the floor,

His eyes find mine, he starts to smile, he knows he's kept me safe once more.

His eyelids close, his eyebrows flatten, he's somehow found his peace,

His lips move to say "I love you" but I don't hear him speak.

He's being pulled into another room, where the storm will soon unleash,

He tries to calm me and attempts to grin, I see his blood stained teeth.

The door slams shut, can't see him anymore, I try get to my feet,

I can't stand up, I fall back down and cringe as i hear him scream.

I heard every thing that went on in that room that night;

After the storm had gone away and driven off again,

What I saw as I opened that door, gave me the biggest fright.

His arms are twisted, his body mangled, lying in a pool of blood,

His eye's looking back at me, I couldn't breathe as I saw him there, I said "God, what have I done!"


The storm hit my big brother for the second time today,

I see the pain of every scratch spread across his face.

He smiles at me and tries to talk but he has no breath left to give,

I'm looking at him lying there, this is no way to live.

In the body of a ten year old boy, he's forced to be a man,

He's starting to fall asleep now, still smiling, as I'm right there holding his hand.



~S.L. Halpin

What is a Amber Alert?


Shreveport police on scene in the 400 block of Forest Avenue after finding a 12-year-old girl, who was reported missing February 5 in Shreveport. (Jim Hudelson/The Times)

What is an Amber Alert?
It is a statewide, cohesive effort between law enforcement and broadcasters, whose goal is to safely locate an abducted child within the critical two-to-three hour time period following an abduction. It is an investigative tool and not designed to be relied upon as the sole means of recovery.
Following an initial alert, an Amber Alert is broadcast every 20 minutes during the first three hours and every 30 minutes thereafter for the next two hours or until such time that an "end of alert" message is issued by Louisiana state police.



2007 Amber Alert Facts
(For U.S. states and territories)
Amber Alerts: 227
Children involved: 278
Children recovered: 223 (within 72 hours)
Children recovered dead: 6 (one was a victim of a registered sex offender)
Stranger abductions: 94
Family abductions: 106
Abductions involving registered sex offender: 6
State with most Amber Alerts: Texas (30)
States with least Amber Alerts: 15 states and territories, including Alaska and Puerto Rico, had none; Louisiana (1)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice 2007 Amber Alert report

Parent tips
If your child is lost or missing, report it immediately to police. It's vital police enter the child's information into the National Crime Information Center database, which is utilized by law enforcement across the country.
Be certain to inform police of nicknames a child might answer to, about friends, family or other people who are part of the child's life, and the child's habits.
Keep a current photograph of your child on hand. Be sure to record their height and weight, and keep a copy of their fingerprints. Update the information regularly.

Source: Local law enforcement

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Question and answer with Louisiana state police Amber Alert coordinator Sgt. Julie Lewis
Question: Are all missing child alerts "” statewide, regional or local "” done through the state police? Are there any circumstances an alert might be issued without state police authorization?

Answer: All Amber Alerts must be facilitated by Louisiana state police "” Troop F and are conducted statewide, as set forth by the Louisiana Amber Alert Foundation Board of Directors. Level II's (advisories), since they do not utilize the Emergency Alert System, etc., are referred to as "media advisories" for "endangered missing child" (but can be used for any missing, endangered person). The Level II's are intended for situations that don't meet the criteria for an Amber Alert. While most law enforcement agencies in the state can have "missing person" information aired via their local media fairly easily, the Level II assists agencies who may not have the contacts with local/area media that LSP does, or the law enforcement agency may request that the information be sent to another media market within the state. Unfortunately, too many law enforcement agencies, as well as a well-meaning public, occasionally send something out and use the "AMBER Alert" name for cases which clearly do not meet criteria. This only serves to confuse the public as to what Amber is and is not, as well as desensitizes the public to an actual Amber Alert. Technically, any law enforcement agency can forward such information to the media, just as LSP does, but should refrain from any reference to "AMBER Alert."
Some cities may have their own localized program to seek to public's assistance in the location of missing/runaway children, but use another name for it. These do not interfere with Amber Alerts, nor do they utilize the same means and technologies, such as Department of Transportation and Development message boards.

Q: Do the 10 in-state and two out-of-state alerts listed on the agency's Web site as total Amber Alerts issued since Jan. 2 include regional and local alerts or just statewide? Have there been any more since Jan. 5?

A: All alerts were activated statewide. There have been no activations in Louisiana year-to-date in 2009.

Q: Of those 12 alerts, how many involved stranger abductions? How many involved family or a friend or acquaintance?

A: For the two in Florida, I don't recall the "relationship," if any. We activated at Florida's request based on specific investigative information they may be in/near Louisiana. One in 2008 (Shreveport) was on a father who had already severely beaten his young son and ran into the woods with his two young daughters.
He was believed to be a serious danger to them as well. This was the last Amber Alert in Louisiana.
There was one in 2007, for a teen girl who was abducted by an estranged boyfriend, and one in 2006, involving a biological, noncustodial mother took her two sons from school. Based upon law enforcement information, she was believed to be a serious danger to the boys. They were safely recovered in Dallas. There were two in 2005:
On Feb. 12, 2005, Louisiana state police "” Troop F "” activated the Louisiana Amber Alert system for two Baton Rouge infants who were in a car when it was stolen from a Baton Rouge neighborhood around 2:30 a.m. Within a couple hours following the initial alert, a Baton Rouge man located the vehicle behind his business on Choctaw Drive. The man looked around the perimeter of his business and due to the Amber Alert, he was made aware of the stolen vehicle and the missing children from a location within a couple miles of his address. He located the vehicle, with the two boys still inside, behind his building and quickly notified police. Through the cooperation of Louisiana broadcasters, law enforcement and an observant local businessman, two small children were safely recovered and placed with family members. The mother of the two children, 30 year-old Kawanda Chambers, was charged with child desertion, as she left the two infants unsupervised in a running car outside of an acquaintance's home for approximately thirty minutes. Baton Rouge Police Department detectives continue to investigate the theft of the vehicle.
On June 8, 2005, an Amber Alert for a Webster Parish boy was canceled due a false report. Around 5:30 p.m, Webster Parish sheriff's office requested Louisiana state police "” Troop F authorize the activation of the Louisiana Amber Alert following a report that a 14-year-old boy of Doyline was allegedly abducted at gunpoint by two masked, white men an hour earlier. Less than 30 minutes after Troop F received the detailed information, the statewide Emergency Alert System (EAS) was activated for the boy. Deputies and other officers continued to investigate while all law enforcement agencies statewide were notified, DOTD's variable message boards were activated, LA Lottery's boards broadcast the message, and media statewide were seeking more information to get the message to the public "” all in hopes of safely recovering the teen. Less than three hours later, Webster Parish sheriff's office advised of the safe recovery of the boy and the Amber Alert was immediately canceled. While the case remains under investigation by the Webster Parish sheriff's office, the teen was more likely a runaway. LSP"”Troop F was advised the case will be forwarded to the district attorney's office in Webster Parish for consideration of charges pending the false report of an Amber Alert by the child in question. (He was charged with criminal mischief. This case took place prior to the enactment of "False Reporting "” kidnapped/abducted child" became a felony in Louisiana.)
Another case: Hammond P.D. called to cancel the Amber Alert the child had been found with another relative. A 4-year-old child was sent home from an area day care center with an individual in a dark-colored sedan. Parent arrived to pick up child and day care workers were unable to identify who the child left with. An Amber Alert was issued and canceled within an hour. Due to a miscommunication, another relative picked up the child, but became aware of the problem after seeing the Amber Alert info on television.
All other Louisiana Amber alerts were familial/friend/acquaintance. While Amber is not intended for parental abductions, there are cases where law enforcement has strong reason to believe the parent may intentional harm/kill the children) and an Amber is activated.

Q: Are there any statistics for the number of times a Level II alert was issued?

A: No, since any law enforcement agency can forward such information to the media, but should refrain from any reference to "AMBER Alert" to avoid confusion. LSP has issued less than six each year, but there is no "limit." Many law enforcement agencies decline this form of assistance as media may be involved already.

Q: What would be some of the reasons Louisiana has fewer alerts than other states, such as Texas?

A: Texas has to contend with a variety of issues, which Louisiana does not. No. 1: They are much larger in size and population. Twenty-three million residents in Texas v. 4.3 million in Louisiana. No. 2: they have border issues with Mexico, which Louisiana does not. Other states may have localized/regional plans, which may lend itself to inconsistency regarding the decision as to whether or not an Amber Alert should be activated. In those situations, you may have activated authorities who are also elected officials. Let's be honest, a person who relies upon votes to keep his/her position may allow (consciously or subconsciously) that political pressure to affect a decision. In Louisiana, LSP makes the final call as to whether or not an Amber Alert is issued, and "politics" do not enter the equation as to whether or not an Amber Alert is issued. The decision is made strictly upon the facts of the case, which are presented by the requesting law enforcement agency. Neither gender nor race enter the equation either. In fact, in most cases, the gender/race of child isn't known (by me) until I'm seeking the specific information in order to activate Amber. Some states' plans may have varying criteria, which qualifies as an Amber. Those with more "open" criteria, will, in turn, have more occasions to activate. In Louisiana, we strictly adhere to the criteria (based upon recommendations by the U.S. Department of Justice) and also conduct informal reviews of specific activations or non-activations. Those involved in this review include: law enforcement officers in other agencies, the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children, FCC, etc.

On the Web
U.S. Department of Justice Amber Alert

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