AMBER Alert facts for kids

An AMBER Alert is a special warning system that helps find children who have gone missing or been taken. It started in the United States in 1996. The system was named after Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old girl who was taken and sadly died in Arlington, Texas. The name AMBER also stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response. Other countries, like Canada, Mexico, Australia, and countries in Europe, now use similar alert systems.

When an AMBER Alert is issued, it quickly shares important information with many people. You might see these alerts on electronic signs along highways. Sometimes, this can cause traffic jams as drivers slow down to read the messages. The alerts are also shown on television and heard on the radio.

How AMBER Alerts Are Issued

An AMBER Alert shown on a TV screen.

Police departments in the state where a child goes missing are responsible for sending out AMBER Alerts. They share key details to help the public.

What Information Is Shared

An AMBER Alert usually includes:

• The name and a description of the child who is missing.
• A description of the person who police believe took the child.
• If available, a description and license plate number of the vehicle used by the person who took the child.

This information helps people recognize the child, the person, or the vehicle, and report what they see to the police.

Images for kids

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  An AMBER Alert on an electronic billboard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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  An AMBER alert as seen on Android, advising users to call 911 if they find a car with a matching description.

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  AMBER Alert displayed on cable TV by the Emergency Alert System.

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  An electronic traffic-condition sign displaying an AMBER Alert.

See also

In Spanish: Alerta AMBER para niños