Latest news with #AmberAlert
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Seven weeks later, two N.S. children are still missing. Why wasn't an Amber Alert issued?
Seven weeks after two children went missing from a rural Nova Scotia community, family members are still questioning why an Amber Alert wasn't issued for Lilly and Jack Sullivan. The young siblings have been missing since the morning of May 2, when police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. RCMP have said all along that the case did not meet the criteria for the alert, and are now providing more details on the factors that are considered and the process that plays out in such situations. Amber Alerts are a national public notification system used to help find abducted children believed to be in imminent danger. Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay, who works in the RCMP's communications unit, was working the day of the disappearance and reviewed the policy on Amber Alerts. He said the criteria state there must be something to point the public toward, such as a suspect, a person of interest or a vehicle. "You want to direct the public to look for a specific vehicle, to look for that licence plate, to look for that suspicious person, to have a photo of someone or more information to suggest that there was an abduction," said Tremblay in a recent interview. While Tremblay reviewed the policy, it's the risk manager — appointed for every major incident — that ultimately decides if an alert should be sent out. In this case, the force issued two "vulnerable persons" alerts. The first was sent at 12:43 p.m. on the day of the disappearance and was directed to cellphones across a swath of communities in northeastern parts of Nova Scotia's mainland, including Lansdowne Station and New Glasgow. The second was issued at 5:26 p.m. the following day — May 3 — and included a larger area from Truro up to Tatamagouche and stretching across to Antigonish. For Daniel Martell, the children's stepfather, those alerts did not go far enough. He said he asked RCMP to issue an Amber Alert early on, and to position officers at the New Brunswick and P.E.I. borders and the airport, but was told the situation did not meet the criteria. "I think they should have just bent the criteria at that moment," said Martell. "It wasn't just one missing person, but two vulnerable children." Lilly and Jack's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, posted on her Facebook page the day after the disappearance asking for an Amber Alert to be issued. RCMP have repeatedly said there is no evidence to suggest the children were abducted. But that hasn't quelled the concerns of Belynda Gray, the children's paternal grandmother. She, too, wanted police to issue an Amber Alert, given the children's vulnerability. Lilly and Jack's mother and stepfather have both spoken to the media about how the siblings could have autism, but it has not been diagnosed. Gray says it's unfortunate an Amber Alert hinges on a specific car or person being identified as involved in a disappearance. "These are vulnerable kids," Gray said in a recent interview. "They do have a bit of a learning disability, so that puts them even more vulnerable." The investigation has included searches of 8.5 square kilometres surrounding the children's home, including wooded areas, the family home, mine shafts, wells, septic systems and lakes. There are 11 RCMP units working on the case, with the major crime unit taking the lead. Formal interviews have been conducted with 54 people, some of whom were administered polygraph tests. Police have also collected hundreds of hours of video from the surrounding area, including dashcam footage of Gairloch Road — where the family home is located — from days before the disappearance. Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia government is offering up to $150,000 for information about the disappearance. On Thursday, Justice Minister Becky Druhan repeated that Amber Alerts involve specific criteria that were followed in this case. She noted they are administered through a national system, so the criteria are standardized across Canada and any changes would be beyond her department's scope. "Right now, we are focused on doing what we can to help support the investigation," said Druhan. "Ther RCMP has asked us to include this case in the major rewards program, and so we're hopeful that that's going to help generate some information that's going to help solve this case." There were eight Amber Alerts involving 10 children issued last year across Canada, according to the RCMP's National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. All of those children were found alive. MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
14 hours ago
- CBC
Seven weeks later, two N.S. children are still missing. Why wasn't an Amber Alert issued?
Seven weeks after two children went missing from a rural Nova Scotia community, family members are still questioning why an Amber Alert wasn't issued for Lilly and Jack Sullivan. The young siblings have been missing since the morning of May 2, when police received a 911 call reporting they had wandered away from their home in Lansdowne Station, about 140 kilometres northeast of Halifax. RCMP have said all along that the case did not meet the criteria for the alert, and are now providing more details on the factors that are considered and the process that plays out in such situations. Amber Alerts are a national public notification system used to help find abducted children believed to be in imminent danger. Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay, who works in the RCMP's communications unit, was working the day of the disappearance and reviewed the policy on Amber Alerts. He said the criteria state there must be something to point the public toward, such as a suspect, a person of interest or a vehicle. "You want to direct the public to look for a specific vehicle, to look for that licence plate, to look for that suspicious person, to have a photo of someone or more information to suggest that there was an abduction," said Tremblay in a recent interview. While Tremblay reviewed the policy, it's the risk manager — appointed for every major incident — that ultimately decides if an alert should be sent out. In this case, the force issued two "vulnerable persons" alerts. The first was sent at 12:43 p.m. on the day of the disappearance and was directed to cellphones across a swath of communities in northeastern parts of Nova Scotia's mainland, including Lansdowne Station and New Glasgow. The second was issued at 5:26 p.m. the following day — May 3 — and included a larger area from Truro up to Tatamagouche and stretching across to Antigonish. For Daniel Martell, the children's stepfather, those alerts did not go far enough. He said he asked RCMP to issue an Amber Alert early on, and to position officers at the New Brunswick and P.E.I. borders and the airport, but was told the situation did not meet the criteria. "I think they should have just bent the criteria at that moment," said Martell. "It wasn't just one missing person, but two vulnerable children." 'I didn't kill Lilly and Jack': Stepfather of missing N.S. kids says he passed polygraph 23 hours ago Duration 10:30 Six weeks after two children went missing in Nova Scotia, Lilly and Jack Sullivan's stepfather says he passed a police polygraph related to their disappearance. He spoke with the CBC's Kayla Hounsell. Lilly and Jack's mother, Malehya Brooks-Murray, posted on her Facebook page the day after the disappearance asking for an Amber Alert to be issued. RCMP have repeatedly said there is no evidence to suggest the children were abducted. But that hasn't quelled the concerns of Belynda Gray, the children's paternal grandmother. She, too, wanted police to issue an Amber Alert, given the children's vulnerability. Lilly and Jack's mother and stepfather have both spoken to the media about how the siblings could have autism, but it has not been diagnosed. Gray says it's unfortunate an Amber Alert hinges on a specific car or person being identified as involved in a disappearance. "These are vulnerable kids," Gray said in a recent interview. "They do have a bit of a learning disability, so that puts them even more vulnerable." Grandmother of missing N.S. kids shares her story — and her son's 2 days ago Duration 8:51 The investigation has included searches of 8.5 square kilometres surrounding the children's home, including wooded areas, the family home, mine shafts, wells, septic systems and lakes. There are 11 RCMP units working on the case, with the major crime unit taking the lead. Formal interviews have been conducted with 54 people, some of whom were administered polygraph tests. Police have also collected hundreds of hours of video from the surrounding area, including dashcam footage of Gairloch Road — where the family home is located — from days before the disappearance. Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia government is offering up to $150,000 for information about the disappearance. On Thursday, Justice Minister Becky Druhan repeated that Amber Alerts involve specific criteria that were followed in this case. She noted they are administered through a national system, so the criteria are standardized across Canada and any changes would be beyond her department's scope. "Right now, we are focused on doing what we can to help support the investigation," said Druhan. "Ther RCMP has asked us to include this case in the major rewards program, and so we're hopeful that that's going to help generate some information that's going to help solve this case." There were eight Amber Alerts involving 10 children issued last year across Canada, according to the RCMP's National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains. All of those children were found alive.
Montreal Gazette
a day ago
- Montreal Gazette
Explainer: Missing girl's disappearance didn't trigger an Amber Alert. Why not?
By From the moment Quebec provincial police announced that a three-year-old was missing on Sunday, questions swirled online over why authorities didn't issue an Amber Alert to inform the public. Faced with the question, police have repeatedly stated the case did not meet the criteria needed for an alert. Yet one of the top comments on the Sûreté du Québec's initial post about the disappearance comes from a mother questioning the decision. 'I would rather have 100 false alarms than one child who was not found in time,' her comment says, receiving nearly 2,000 likes. Here is a brief overview of how Amber Alerts work and why one wasn't issued in the case of the girl, who was found alive Wednesday afternoon. What are Amber Alerts? The Amber Alert system was created in the United States and introduced to Quebec in 2003. It is designed to quickly notify the public about a child who has been abducted and may be in danger. Co-operation between various police forces across the province ensures information is disseminated as swiftly as possible. In Quebec, only the Sûreté du Québec and the Montreal police department can trigger an alert. When an alert is issued, it is broadcast on television and radio, interrupting regular programming. In recent years, alerts have also been sent to compatible mobile phones. Quebec's Transport Ministry also ensures the alert is displayed on message boards along highways in order to reach drivers. What are the criteria needed? Amber Alerts are reserved for specific situations. They will only be triggered if three criteria are met at the same time. When a police department receives a report about a missing child, investigators quickly analyze the case to see if it warrants an alert. The criteria are as follows: The police have reason to believe a child has been abducted. The police have reason to believe the child is in serious danger. The police have information to share that could help locate the child, such as the car used or a description of the suspect. Why was no alert issued? Police have stated that no alert was issued in this case because it doesn't involve an abduction. The girl was seen around 9:45 a.m. Sunday near Newman Blvd. in Montreal's LaSalle borough. Her mother, Rachel Todd, reported her missing nearly six hours later at a fireworks store in Coteau-du-Lac, about 60 kilometres southwest of Montreal. Police have said Todd, 34, told an employee she lost the child and didn't know where she was. She has since been charged with child abandonment. Missing Children's Network executive director Mélanie Aubut said she understands why police didn't issue an Amber Alert, but acknowledged the public's frustrations. 'Any parents' worst nightmare is not knowing where their child is,' Aubut said. 'Families with missing children go through an extremely distressing experience, and I think that's why the population is so affected — because we all put ourselves in their shoes.' Aubut said the delay between when the girl was seen in LaSalle and when Todd reported her missing might have also factored into the decision not to trigger an alert. 'Amber Alerts are an essential tool that is usually used immediately,' she said. 'But in this case, we're talking about a delay of six hours between the child going missing and the police being alerted.' Should the criteria be loosened? Different jurisdictions across North America have wrestled with whether or not the criteria needed to trigger an alert should be less strict. While Aubut agreed the criteria is restrictive, she argued in favour of keeping it as is. She noted that in 2024, there were more than 6,600 instances of children being reported missing in Quebec, mainly involving teenage runaways. Five Amber Alerts were issued for the province. Excessive use of the alerts could become counterproductive, she said, as people might start tuning them out or become desensitized to the issue. 'We want to make sure that when we do sound the alarm, people's reaction isn't to say, 'Ugh, not another disappearance,'' Aubut said. In the girl's case, Aubut believes the Sûreté du Québec did its best to communicate information and prevent disinformation from spreading. Regardless of whether an Amber Alert is issued in a case, Aubut said it's crucial the public continues to spread word about a disappearance as new details emerge. 'Any little clue can change the course of the investigation, or could be the missing piece of the police's puzzle,' she added.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Manhunt for Travis Decker continues more than 2 weeks later
The manhunt for Travis Decker, a 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran wanted in connection with the brutal slayings of his daughters, who were found dead earlier this month, entered just over two weeks on Tuesday, June 17. The children's mother, Whitney Decker, reported the girls missing on Friday, May 30, after the siblings left their central Washington home for a planned visit with their father, the Wenatchee Police Department reported. Wenatchee is in Chelan County, about 148 miles east of Seattle. The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office reported Monday, June 16, that their deputies and tactical teams were looking for Decker in the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass areas. In an online social media post, the department was asking residents to be alert for anyone suspicious. The law enforcement agency is located about an hour south of where the girls disappeared. The joint local, state and federal multi-jurisdictional hunt for Decker entered day 15 after deputies discovered the girls' bodies on June 2 at Rock Island Campground. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the lead agency on the triple murder case, reported a deputy found Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, lifeless with plastic bags over their heads and evidence that their hands had been zip-tied. Also on June 16, Wenatchee Mayor Mike Poirier released a statement to Fox 13 news calling the case worse than "a nightmare" and reminding people to take care of one another, no matter the circumstances. "Everybody has nightmares, but can you image, this is beyond a nightmare. This is something that should affect us," the Seattle-based outlet reported the mayor said. "Never forget and remember to support each other in a time of need and even in not a time a need." USA TODAY contacted Poirier, who referenced his statement to Fox 13. Here's what to know about the case so far. Florida man pees on meat in store: $10,000 worth of food was urinated on in Sam's Club. State officials issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) for the school-age sisters on May 31. Washington State Patrol was originally contacted on May 30 to request an Amber Alert, but the situation "did not meet the required criteria" at the time, Wenatchee police said. The girls' father was homeless and living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup at the time they vanished, according to police. Police said he is a former military member with extensive training who "may pose a significant risk, if approached." Court filings obtained by USA TODAY say Travis Decker reportedly exhibited mental health issues before the girls' deaths. Police described Travis Decker as a white man with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5'8'' and weighing 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts. Travis Decker is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree kidnapping and three counts of first-degree custodial interference, police said. Authorities are asking for the community's assistance in locating him. As of June 17, a reward of up to $20,000 was being offered for information leading to his arrest, the sheriff's office confirmed. Opinion - Decker sisters needed protection: Our court system failed them. In the days after police announced the hunt for Decker, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told USA TODAY there had been dozens of alleged Decker sightings, including one investigated by the McCall Police Department in Idaho. The agency said it received reports of someone who looked like Decker in the western part of the Gem State. The small resort town of McCall is about 450 miles southwest of where the search for Decker is currently focused. Morrison told USA TODAY his office and law enforcement in Idaho had deemed the reports uncredible. Police could not say whether Decker was armed while on the lam. Anyone who sees him or with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 911. Tipsters can also call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit their information online at Contributing: Anthony Robledo Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Search for Travis Decker continues more than 2 weeks later
USA Today
3 days ago
- USA Today
Manhunt for Travis Decker continues more than 2 weeks later
Manhunt for Travis Decker continues more than 2 weeks later Show Caption Hide Caption Manhunt for Travis Decker intensifies Authorities warn that Travis Decker, who is accused of kidnapping and killing his daughters, may be capable of surviving off the grid for months. Fox - Seattle The manhunt for Travis Decker, a 32-year-old U.S. Army veteran wanted in connection with the brutal slayings of his daughters, who were found dead earlier this month, entered just over two weeks on Tuesday, June 17. The children's mother, Whitney Decker, reported the girls missing on Friday, May 30, after the siblings left their central Washington home for a planned visit with their father, the Wenatchee Police Department reported. Wenatchee is in Chelan County, about 148 miles east of Seattle. The Kittitas County Sheriff's Office reported Monday, June 16, that their deputies and tactical teams were looking for Decker in the Teanaway Valley and Blewett Pass areas. In an online social media post, the department was asking residents to be alert for anyone suspicious. The law enforcement agency is located about an hour south of where the girls disappeared. The joint local, state and federal multi-jurisdictional hunt for Decker entered day 15 after deputies discovered the girls' bodies on June 2 at Rock Island Campground. The Chelan County Sheriff's Office, the lead agency on the triple murder case, reported a deputy found Paityn Decker, 9; Evelyn Decker, 8; and Olivia Decker, 5, lifeless with plastic bags over their heads and evidence that their hands had been zip-tied. Also on June 16, Wenatchee Mayor Mike Poirier released a statement to Fox 13 news calling the case worse than "a nightmare" and reminding people to take care of one another, no matter the circumstances. "Everybody has nightmares, but can you image, this is beyond a nightmare. This is something that should affect us," the Seattle-based outlet reported the mayor said. "Never forget and remember to support each other in a time of need and even in not a time a need." USA TODAY contacted Poirier, who referenced his statement to Fox 13. Here's what to know about the case so far. Florida man pees on meat in store: $10,000 worth of food was urinated on in Sam's Club. What date were the Decker girls reported missing? State officials issued an Endangered Missing Person Alert (EMPA) for the school-age sisters on May 31. Washington State Patrol was originally contacted on May 30 to request an Amber Alert, but the situation "did not meet the required criteria" at the time, Wenatchee police said. The girls' father was homeless and living out of a white 2017 GMC Sierra pickup at the time they vanished, according to police. Police said he is a former military member with extensive training who "may pose a significant risk, if approached." Court filings obtained by USA TODAY say Travis Decker reportedly exhibited mental health issues before the girls' deaths. What does Travis Decker look like? Police described Travis Decker as a white man with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5'8'' and weighing 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing a light-colored shirt and dark shorts. Is there an award for Travis Decker's arrest? Travis Decker is wanted for three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree kidnapping and three counts of first-degree custodial interference, police said. Authorities are asking for the community's assistance in locating him. As of June 17, a reward of up to $20,000 was being offered for information leading to his arrest, the sheriff's office confirmed. Opinion - Decker sisters needed protection: Our court system failed them. Alleged Travis Decker sightings In the days after police announced the hunt for Decker, Chelan County Sheriff Mike Morrison told USA TODAY there had been dozens of alleged Decker sightings, including one investigated by the McCall Police Department in Idaho. The agency said it received reports of someone who looked like Decker in the western part of the Gem State. The small resort town of McCall is about 450 miles southwest of where the search for Decker is currently focused. Morrison told USA TODAY his office and law enforcement in Idaho had deemed the reports uncredible. Police could not say whether Decker was armed while on the lam. Anyone who sees him or with information about his whereabouts is asked to call 911. Tipsters can also call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit their information online at Contributing: Anthony Robledo Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund.
