SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Around 2 o’clock this morning, an amber alert went out for a missing one-year-old. The child was taken from a Sioux Falls apartment after 9 last night- which left people wondering why it took five hours for the alert to go out.
“So anytime we have an abduction or a kidnapping case that involves a child, the first thing we’re doing is looking at that criteria. And if we find that that meets the criteria for an amber alert, then we’re going to do everything we can to get that issued as soon as possible. It’s not as fast of a process that everybody thinks it is,” said Sam Clemens with the Sioux Falls Police Department.
Infant safe; 2 arrested as SFPD looking for 3rd suspect
That criteria includes multiple steps. First, law enforcement must confirm that a child has been abducted. Next, and most importantly, they determine if the victim is in imminent danger. If they are, then the process to put out an amber alert begins. Authorities need a description of the child and their abductor, as well as a description of what vehicle they may be in. From there, it’s in the hands of the state.
“There’s going to be a lot of communication back and forth working through that. Once all of those criteria, all those blanks are filled in, basically, the state then can issue that amber alert. And that’s done on their end,” said Clemens.
“And so our, division director, assistant directors, myself, we have five different people who can make that decision. And we just do that to be really redundant since it could happen, you know, any day or anytime, day or night so that we’re not left without somebody to make that decision. Once we make the decision, it involves several state agencies,” said Bonnie Feller Hagan, the state’s amber alert coordinator.
In the case of an alleged abduction earlier this month, officials determined that because Betty Cross had custody of the child, they knew the child was being taken care of. In the latest case, the abductors did not have custody and also threatened use of a gun.
