DETROIT, Mich. (WILX) – Michigan State Police have issued an Amber Alert early Sunday morning for Kemahanni King 3-year-old girl in the Detroit area.

King is described as a Black girl approximately three feet tall. She weighs around 40 pounds and has black hair. She was last seen wearing a black coat and black boots.

3-year-old Kemahanni King was last seen inside a 2006 Black Chrysler 300 with a Michigan license plate reading EQQ 8148. The vehicle was stolen from the 15400 block of Schoolcraft Rd. in Detroit at 11:15 p.m.

The suspect is a 45-50-year-old black man, with a gray mustache and grey beard. Police estimate him to be 5’5″ to 6 foot.  He was last seen wearing an army-colored jacket, grey sweatpants, and a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone who has information on King’s disappearance is asked to call the Detroit Police Department at 313-596-2260.

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What is AMBER Alert ?

It was established in 1996 by Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters and local police to provide an early warning system to aid in the recovery of abducted children. AMBER stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response, and it was founded as a tribute to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and brutally killed. Other states and municipalities quickly established their own AMBER programs as the concept spread across the country.

How does this work?
When police enforcement determines that a child has been taken and that the abduction satisfies the AMBER criteria, they notify broadcasters and state transportation officials. It interrupt regular programming and are displayed on radio, television, and DOT highway signs. AMBER -Alerts can also be re-distributed via lottery tickets, digital billboards, Internet Ad exchanges, Internet Service Providers, Internet search engines, and wireless devices like mobile phones.

How effective has it been?
As of December 31, 2023, the program had helped to recover 1,186 children, while wireless emergency warnings have led in the rescue of 165. There are 82 Alert plans around the United States.
It also act as a deterrence for those who would prey on our children. Alert incidents have demonstrated that some offenders release the kidnapped child after receiving the alert.

What are the parameters for issuing an Alert?
Each state’s  Alert plan establishes its own criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts. The PROTECT Act, approved in 2003, establishes the job of AMBER Alert Coordinator within the Department of Justice, and directs the Department of Justice to set minimum standards or guidelines for AMBER-Alerts that states might voluntarily accept. The Department’s guidance on the criteria for issuing AMBER-alerts is as follows:

• There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction has occurred.
• The law enforcement agency believes that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
• There is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.
• The abduction is of a child aged 17 years or younger.
• The child’s name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system.

Most states’ guidelines adhere closely to the Department of Justice’s recommended guidelines.

Are there AMBER Alerts for all missing children?
Alerts are issued to abducted children who match the AMBER criteria. It is just one tool that law enforcement can utilize to locate abducted children. It is issued for the most serious instances that fulfill the AMBER criteria. Overuse of the AMBER Alert may cause the public to become desensitized to alerts when they are issued.

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