MargieJ.....in NJ amber alerts are only used in non-custodial situations.
Perhaps MA should reconsider their guidelines. When I first heard the NJ guidelines, I was not in agreement. The officer explained the state's reasons and after reading about the MA incident and the subsequent public response, I think NJ may be onto the right idea.
Missing children in custody situations are turned over to the NJ State Police Missing Persons Unit rather than Amber alert.
As for the rest of this, it's a shame. These two adults need to understand their responsibilities to their respective families regardless of the families' disapproval. Turning off cell phones is juvenile behavior. In case of emergency, everyone should be reachable. Reachable means a third party is knowledgeable as to your whereabouts and able to contact you if necessary. And they were not. Instead, they BECAME the emergency. Sorry, that's irresponsible and juvenile. Controlling parents? Deal with it. Others do in a more responsible fashion.
While each state determines its own parameters for issuing an AMBER Alert, the State of New Jersey has developed the following criteria:
AMBER Alerts are intended for non-family cases of child abduction, where the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily harm or death. AMBER Alerts are not intended for all missing child incidents, runaways, or child custody situations. All law enforcement must work together to ensure AMBER Alerts are not abused. Abuse will lead to a lack of confidence by law enforcement and the public.
Perhaps MA should reconsider their guidelines. When I first heard the NJ guidelines, I was not in agreement. The officer explained the state's reasons and after reading about the MA incident and the subsequent public response, I think NJ may be onto the right idea.
Missing children in custody situations are turned over to the NJ State Police Missing Persons Unit rather than Amber alert.
As for the rest of this, it's a shame. These two adults need to understand their responsibilities to their respective families regardless of the families' disapproval. Turning off cell phones is juvenile behavior. In case of emergency, everyone should be reachable. Reachable means a third party is knowledgeable as to your whereabouts and able to contact you if necessary. And they were not. Instead, they BECAME the emergency. Sorry, that's irresponsible and juvenile. Controlling parents? Deal with it. Others do in a more responsible fashion.