FORT SMITH (KFSM)--Wednesday (Jan. 12) marks the 20th anniversary of the abduction of Amber Hagerman, the 9-year-old girl, whose murder led to the creation of the Amber Alert System.
The Amber Alert system was created in 1996, but one year earlier, Morgan Nick went missing.
Six-year-old Morgan was kidnapped from a little league game in Alma, Arkansas.
Morgan’s mother, Colleen Nick, said after the Amber Alert System was created, Arkansas was one of the first three states to use it, and it was called it the Morgan Nick Amber Alert.
“Since the inception of the Amber Alert in 1996, 794 children have been directly recovered from an Amber Alert being issued,” Nick said. “What that says to us in Arkansas is that because we manage our Amber Alert well, and we’ve cooperated with other states is that we’re finding kids, and we’re rescuing kids, and they’re coming home safely.”
Arkansas Police say much of the system’s success comes from improving technology.
“Getting information, getting photographs, getting suspect information to as many people, as many cities, counties, states within the quickest means, I mean, it’s a savior,” Sgt. Daniel Grubbs with the Fort Smith Police Department said. “It’s awesome. It’s a great tool to have.”
The state police issue the alert through 250 different radio and television stations. They also use cellphone alerts. Grubbs said says even upgrades to police cars have helped.
“Now you have computers inside the car, so you can share that information with all these law enforcement agencies that can pull it up and see the picture of the child, the suspect, vehicle information and all of that just at a touch of hitting enter,” Grubbs said.
Nick said because people can get Amber Alerts right on their phone, they have more of an opportunity to help.
“Our encouragement to everyone who sees or hears an amber alert is just to stop what you’re doing, to look around you, step outside your house to just take a moment to look around, and you might see something that could save a child’s life,” Nick said.
According to the Morgan Nick Foundation’s website, if your child is missing you should call police immediately, get your neighbors to help search and call friends of the child. Also, look for missing items like clothing or a bike and retrace where the child was last seen and with whom.