10
Loading video...
By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A mother is being arrested after filing a false police report that prompted an Amber Alert for her 1-year-old child, police in Missouri confirmed to Newsweek early Monday.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol had issued an Amber Alert for Emiliona Gonzalez late on Sunday, saying a suspect had stolen a blue Dodge Charger in St. Louis with the boy inside. The Amber Alert was canceled at 2:42 a.m. local time on Monday.
Around 2:50 a.m., a spokesperson for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) confirmed the child had been found safe.
Read More on News
"The child was located a few minutes ago and is safe. The mother is being arrested for filing a false police report," the spokesperson said in an email.
The Amber Alert said the vehicle had been stolen in the 800 block of S. Broadway in St. Louis around 10:40 p.m. on Sunday and was last seen traveling eastbound on Walnut Street from Memorial Drive.
In a post on Facebook early Monday, the SLMPD said detectives had "confirmed a false police report was filed and the child was never inside the vehicle. Our investigation into the hoax report is underway."
An earlier update said police had taken a suspect into custody while officers were continuing to search for Emiliona. The suspect was not named. Another update said the stolen vehicle was located in St. Charles.
...
What Is an Amber Alert?
An Amber Alert is a public warning system used across the United States to quickly notify communities about an abducted or taken child. "AMBER" stands for "America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response."
The system is activated by law enforcement when specific criteria are met, including confirmation that a child aged 17 or under has been abducted and that the child is believed to be in imminent danger of serious injury or death.
Once issued, the alert disseminates critical details about the child, suspected abductor and any associated vehicle across a wide range of platforms. These notifications appear on smartphones through Wireless Emergency Alerts, interrupt television and radio broadcasts, and display on roadside electronic signs to reach as many people as possible.
The goal is to enlist the public's help in the critical early hours of an abduction, giving law enforcement additional eyes and ears to aid them in locating missing children and apprehending suspects.
Since its creation, the Amber Alert system has been credited with helping recover more than 1,300 children across the country.
How Did Amber Alerts Begin?
The Amber Alert system began in 1996 when broadcasters in the Dallas-Fort Worth area joined forces with local police to develop "an early warning system" to help find children who had been abducted.
The system was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was murdered in January 1996 after being kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Shakeema Edwards.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines