amber alerts and when they are justified

[danmo783]

About 9:30am I got an amber alert on my phone about a missing teen. Then by 3:30pm, roughly 6 hrs later.; she was in federal custody for criminal homicide. She just happened to run off with her boyfriend after they killed someone and she left a note to her parents that she was scared her boyfriend would kidnap her. Too bad for her "missing," because now she faces life in prison... although she's under 18 so that won't actually happen.

Amber Alerts should be reserved for KIDS, as in not teenagers... Teenagers are running away most of the time, not being kidnapped. 15 year-olds know exactly what they are doing. No one is luring them into the white candy van. They aren't 6 years old. I'm just annoyed because I get these alerts all the time and not one has ever been missing for more than a month.

They always turn out to run away with their boyfriends. Maybe teenage girls are not the most wise in the ways of the world, but calling it kidnapping to run away with a boyfriend is incorrect. The correct term is: "Harboring a minor runaway." There are huge differences. It's just been going on around here and it is getting annoying because they are almost never legitimate most of the time.

If your 5 year-old disappears, I expect an Amber Alert ASAP!

If your kid is 15-16 and in high school, I expect the parents and police to do something without sending me loud buzzing noises that should be reserved for actual kids disappearing.

What if someone was 17 and turning 18 in 2 weeks? If they turn 18 before they are found, do they cancel the alert? "We only care if someone is one day before their 18th birthday or younger. After that, we don't care."

The teen violence here is also tremendous. In fact these "kids" are the number one causes of violent crime around here. Male, female, white, black, hispanic, it doesn't matter.... It's getting worse.

[michele2042]

Sorry, I respectfully disagree with you.  You said "15 year olds know exactly what they're doing"  that just is not true.  While they may at times know what they're doing it doesn't mean they are too old to be kidnapped.   Maybe the majority of the time it is someone running away but I'll deal with the buzzing on my phone with an Amber Alert if it saves one teenager.   Young teen girls may not be susceptible to being lured into the white van with candy but they can be susceptible to predators.    If you don't like the buzzing on your phone then disconnect the amber alerts.

There have been several cases, a couple in my area, when teen girls were kidnapped.  I'm sorry there is so much teen violence in your community,  maybe the community would want to look into the reasons for the violence.   

[SherylsShado]

I agree with danmo783 and was just talking about this very subject at work yesterday.  When a child goes missing, it's usually not because the child decided to "run away", take off with a "love interest", because they committed crime and are on the run,  because they're rebellious, or because they left the bar skunk-drunk one night & fell into the nearby pond.

Of course a teen can be abducted but...there's many cases where that wasn't the case.  It is different than a child being on an Amber Alert. 

Perhaps if the teens weren't really abducted, they or their family (depending on the circumstance) should have to pay a really good fine, would help cut-out some of the b.s. with the teens & amber alerts, because I'm at the point where I don't even take them seriously anymore.

[darkxtsuna]

Amber alerts always catch me when I'm sleeping in the day,Wonder how teens/kids these days keep getting Kidnapped or missing.

[mrsmere]

The only alerts I see are on tv or the flashing signs on the road.

[cfsdaniels]

If any child's safety is at risk, an amber alert should be justified.

[computermanjd3]

Amber alerts are a very helpful thing, and just go to show how much of this kind of child abuse is out there these days.

[ladavia89]

They actually don't send out enough alerts. I've seen so many stories of missing children but they won't issue an Amber alert because they don't know if they've been kidnapped or what. Then these children are found dead later but no one was on the lookout the entire time they were missing.

Adults get kidnapped so I don't know why you don't think it happens to teenagers. Yes sometimes it is just them running away but do you really want to take the chance?

[davissy]

I think Amber Alerts is justified even for runaway teens because even thought the teen made the conscious decision to run away from home, it doesn't negate the fact that they are in danger and vulnerable to things like human trafficking.

[Jayce2013]

I agree that Amber Alerts are very important - I have 2 small kids so I understand the need and I would really not know what to do if one of my children just disappeared.

True is that a lot (not all) teens do decide to run away BUT a lot that run away can end up in bad hands... they should maybe separate the alerts, but I believe both situations (kids & teens) should be alerted if missing.

There is so many bad people out there and until they are 18 they are under their parents legal protection and they deserve to be protected as best as possible.

[countrygirl12]

About 9:30am I got an amber alert on my phone about a missing teen. Then by 3:30pm, roughly 6 hrs later.; she was in federal custody for criminal homicide. She just happened to run off with her boyfriend after they killed someone and she left a note to her parents that she was scared her boyfriend would kidnap her. Too bad for her "missing," because now she faces life in prison... although she's under 18 so that won't actually happen.

Amber Alerts should be reserved for KIDS, as in not teenagers... Teenagers are running away most of the time, not being kidnapped. 15 year-olds know exactly what they are doing. No one is luring them into the white candy van. They aren't 6 years old. I'm just annoyed because I get these alerts all the time and not one has ever been missing for more than a month.

They always turn out to run away with their boyfriends. Maybe teenage girls are not the most wise in the ways of the world, but calling it kidnapping to run away with a boyfriend is incorrect. The correct term is: "Harboring a minor runaway." There are huge differences. It's just been going on around here and it is getting annoying because they are almost never legitimate most of the time.

If your 5 year-old disappears, I expect an Amber Alert ASAP!

If your kid is 15-16 and in high school, I expect the parents and police to do something without sending me loud buzzing noises that should be reserved for actual kids disappearing.

What if someone was 17 and turning 18 in 2 weeks? If they turn 18 before they are found, do they cancel the alert? "We only care if someone is one day before their 18th birthday or younger. After that, we don't care."

The teen violence here is also tremendous. In fact these "kids" are the number one causes of violent crime around here. Male, female, white, black, hispanic, it doesn't matter.... It's getting worse.

Amber Alerts should be for ANYONE not just a "kid".  And FYI if you are under 18 you are considered a kid.  It is not like the "amber alert" could have disrupted your life that much.  Turn them off.  You can deactivate them on your phone.  And when the alert first went out no one knew who she was with.  I did not know it had been released that the guy was her "boyfriend".  I know the police said she was charged with homicide because she had ample time to escape and she did not try to run so obviously she was in on the robbery.

I assume you do not have kids or grand-kids or kids in your family at all.  Does it matter how old they are?  Who cares if they are 2 days before their 18th birthday.  There have been times when a girl trusted a guy, may have been her boyfriend, and he turned out to not be what she thought.  Does that mean she deserves to be held against her will?  To be raped?  Sold as a sex slave?

If the Amber Alerts bother you that much then unsubscribe from them.  I turned the ones on the phone off after I got 2 after midnight that was for another state.  I get them from local tv stations but it is just a notice on my phone.  No big deal.

I will agree there are a ton of "missing teens" lately and a huge chunk of them are just runaways.  But what do you expect when you let your kid do whatever they want to and never punish them or tell them no.

[countrygirl12]

Sorry, I respectfully disagree with you.  You said "15 year olds know exactly what they're doing"  that just is not true.  While they may at times know what they're doing it doesn't mean they are too old to be kidnapped.   Maybe the majority of the time it is someone running away but I'll deal with the buzzing on my phone with an Amber Alert if it saves one teenager.   Young teen girls may not be susceptible to being lured into the white van with candy but they can be susceptible to predators.    If you don't like the buzzing on your phone then disconnect the amber alerts.

There have been several cases, a couple in my area, when teen girls were kidnapped.  I'm sorry there is so much teen violence in your community,  maybe the community would want to look into the reasons for the violence.   

It is not just teenagers or young girls but women as well.  You may think you know a guy and trust him and then he ends up forcing them to do things they do not want to do. 

As for the reason for the violence?  It is because kids are spoiled brats.  They are never told no.  They are given whatever they want.  Among other things like drugs, and just the horrible world without God that we live in.

[countrygirl12]

I agree with danmo783 and was just talking about this very subject at work yesterday.  When a child goes missing, it's usually not because the child decided to "run away", take off with a "love interest", because they committed crime and are on the run,  because they're rebellious, or because they left the bar skunk-drunk one night & fell into the nearby pond.

Of course a teen can be abducted but...there's many cases where that wasn't the case.  It is different than a child being on an Amber Alert. 

Perhaps if the teens weren't really abducted, they or their family (depending on the circumstance) should have to pay a really good fine, would help cut-out some of the b.s. with the teens & amber alerts, because I'm at the point where I don't even take them seriously anymore.

I love how everyone want to scream the family needs to pay a really big fine.  smh.  I honestly cannot grasp how receiving an amber alert on your phone can be such a huge imposition on your life.  It is no different than the 200 text messages you get a day.  Look at it, read the description, go on with life.  If you see the person call 911.  I will agree lately there are a more and more than turn out to be false or a run a way or whatever.  But like a previous poster said if it saves one life is it not worth it?  What if it were your child?  Your teenager?  If you had a teenage daughter or granddaughter 15-16 and she went on a date and never came home would you want people to help look for her?  Or say "ah the s-l-u-t-h-o-e-b-a-g just ran off with her boyfriend and go on with life.  If it is your family then it is a whole new ball game.  Every alert is somebody's child.  Somebody's family.

[countrygirl12]

They actually don't send out enough alerts. I've seen so many stories of missing children but they won't issue an Amber alert because they don't know if they've been kidnapped or what. Then these children are found dead later but no one was on the lookout the entire time they were missing.

Adults get kidnapped so I don't know why you don't think it happens to teenagers. Yes sometimes it is just them running away but do you really want to take the chance?

I have seen this.  Or it has to be so long before they issue the alert.  The alerts don't bother me.  I will admit the real missing kids is few and far between.  I see them on facebook all the time.  There was one not long ago relatively close to me where a boy was raking the yard, or suppose to be, and went missing and the entire area is all torn up looking for him.  He was around 12 I think.  Turns out he didn't want to rake the yard and ran off.  His father needed to tear his back side up with a belt. 

[countrygirl12]

I agree that Amber Alerts are very important - I have 2 small kids so I understand the need and I would really not know what to do if one of my children just disappeared.

True is that a lot (not all) teens do decide to run away BUT a lot that run away can end up in bad hands... they should maybe separate the alerts, but I believe both situations (kids & teens) should be alerted if missing.

There is so many bad people out there and until they are 18 they are under their parents legal protection and they deserve to be protected as best as possible.

Yeah they run away and end up being sold as a sex slave.  There are teens in bad situations at home and they run away to get away from it.  I was at Walmart yesterday and a kid told on her sister.  I don't know what for.  The mother goes ballistic and starts yelling at her and moves toward her and gets in her face.  This kid ducks down and covers her face.  Or shields her face with her hands.  That tells me this kid is use to getting hit.  If the situation is bad enough at home they will leave. Some kids esp girls are in situations where they are being raped by male family members.  They do not realize the dangers that are out there on the streets.