The AMBER Advocate
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The AMBER Advocate Volume 1, issue 3. September 2007 Cheers and tears mark 2007 National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response U.S. Attorney General joins victims to honor AMBER Alert heroes Inside this issue: Though she is young, Tamara Brooks took the “What About AMBER awards 2 stage with the poise of a seasoned politician. Me?” on page 6) From the frontlines 4 The California college student was in Washing- ton D.C. for the 2007 National Missing Children’s "Words pay no Canadian corner 5 Day ceremony. Five years earlier, she and a debts." National high school friend learned firsthand what it was AMBER Alert Personality profile 5 like to be missing—both were kidnapped at gun- Coordinator Re- New guide 6 point. gina B. Schofield said quoting Regina B. Schofield (left) Na- Ham Radio and AMBER 7 “Emotions were laced with terror as the reality tional AMBER Alert Coordina- Shakespeare to of death went through our minds,” she said. tor, Assistant Attorney Gen- express her grati- Odds and ends 8 “We were not ready to die. Instead of giving eral, Office of Justice Programs tude to the peo- and Tamara Brooks, abduction up, we fought back with the same courage and survivor ple who have strength embodying all those who tirelessly made out- dedicate their lives to the eradication and pre- standing contributions to the AMBER Alert pro- vention of missing chil- gram. "We owe these people our gratitude. In dren.” one way or another these people have per- formed a great service on behalf of our nation's Child abduction victims children," she added. and family members shared the stage with Acting Associate Attorney General William Mer- Attorney General Al- cer also helped hand out a total of 17 awards MISSING berto Gonzales as he made to a broadcaster, an AMBER Alert coordi- CHILDREN’S honored people who nator, a clearinghouse coordinator, law enforce- have dedicated their Alberto Gonzales ment officers and ordinary citizens who did ex- DAY FACT: United States lives to recovering miss- Attorney General traordinary things for missing children (More ing children. “Your work pictures and stories on page 2). "We're proud On May 17, 2007, the Depart- truly is God’s work. Every faith I know of holds of the work we're doing but the foundation is ment of Justice released pro- childhood to be precious, and regards attacks people like you," said Mercer. posed guidelines for the im- on innocence to be evil. Thank you for being plementation of the Adam Walsh Act. The proposed there when our kids are hurting.” The honors were highlighted by a heartfelt thanks from Tamara Brooks on behalf of all guidelines describe when, Few celebrations have so many tears. Nearly victims. “These people are guardian angels who how and how often sex of- everyone in the audience wiped their eyes after give hope to those who fall prey to those who fenders will register informa- watching the video that accompanies a new take children. Without you these children tion like their e-mail and in- stant messaging addresses. guide called “What About Me? Coping with the wouldn’t stand a chance. Without you I Abduction of a Brother or Sister.” (More on wouldn’t be standing here to thank you.” 2007 Award winners AMBER Alert Courage Award: Clay Attorney General’s Special Commen- Moore for his courage after being abducted dation Award: Detective Christopher Arm- at gunpoint at a school bus stop, and then strong, Sgt. Misty Cedrun and Special Agent gagged and bound with duct tape to a tree Aaron Meeks with the San Diego Internet in a secluded area. He broke free with a Crimes Against Children Task Force for safety pin and eventually helped investiga- identifying and arresting a 54-year-old res- tors identify his abductor. piratory therapist who admitted to molest- ing children in the convalescent ward of a hospital. AMBER Alert Coordinator Award: Paul Murphy with the Utah Attorney General’s Office for being the driving force behind the Law Enforcement Award: Lubbock state’s child abduction response plan and Tamara Brooks on County Sheriff David Gutierrez and Captain developing the Endangered Person Advisory behalf of all vic- Antonio Menchaca for their perseverance in for missing people who do not qualify for an AMBER Alert. tims: “These peo- retrieving the remains of Joanna Rogers from a landfill, a 16-year-old girl who was ple are guardian savagely slain and discarded in a dumpster. angels who give hope to those who fall prey to those who take children. Without you these children wouldn’t stand a chance. National Missing Children’s Day Art Without you I Contest Winner: The poster created by wouldn’t be stand- Elyria, Ohio, fifth grader Rachel Stevenson AMBER Alert Citizen Award: The was selected from hundreds of entries to be ing here to thank McArdle family of Asheville, North Carolina displayed at the Department of Justice cere- for noticing AMBER Alert signs while return- you.” mony. Her art will be featured in missing ing from a trip to Florida and helping depu- children-related publications and at confer- ties rescue two kidnap victims, a 16-year- ences throughout the year. old mother and her two-year-old son. Advocate Page 2 National Missing Children’s Day “Your work truly is God’s work. Every faith I know of holds childhood to be precious, and regards attacks on innocence to be evil. Thank you for AMBER Alert Media Award: Nevada AM- AMBER Alert Law Enforcement Award: being there when BER Alert Coordinator and State Broadcast- Arlington, Texas Sgt. Mark Simpson was the ing Assn. President Robert Fisher for devel- original investigator on the Amber Hagerman our kids are oping Nevada’s AMBER Alert plan and pas- homicide investigation and helped initiate hurting.” sionately promoting the cause of missing the AMBER Alert Plan and raise awareness — Attorney General and abducted children with broadcasters about abducted children throughout the Alberto Gonzales throughout the country. country. AMBER INFO: For AMBER Alert training and technical assistance, contact: Phil Keith Program Director AMBER Alert Training & AMBER Alert Transportation Award: Missing Children State Clearinghouse Technical Assistance Program Todd Kramasz of the Minnesota Dept. of Coordinator Award: Wisconsin Clearing- Fox Valley Technical College Transportation on his own initiative reacti- house Coordinator Susan Whitehorse for 401 9th Street NW, Suite 630 vated the AMBER Alert on highway signs providing missing and exploited children Washington, DC 20004 during rush hour. A driver saw the signs training in tribal communities and starting 877-71-AMBER and police were able to safely recover the the first conferences to tackle crimes against [email protected] kidnapped child. children in Indian Country. Official AMBER FAQ's: 877-71-AMBER [email protected] Training & Class registration: www.amber-net.org Missing Child Non-Profit Organization Award: Missing Child Non-Profit Organiza- tion Award: Nevada Child Seekers Executive Director Stephanie Parker for providing case management, abduction prevention educa- tion and other services on behalf of missing and abducted children since 1985. Volume 1, issue 3. Page 3 From the AMBER Alert frontlines: “The AMBER Alert saved this child’s life” The AMBER Alert in Maricopa, Arizona went out with zona State AMBER Alert Coordinator Art Brooks. "The very low expectations from law enforcement for a AMBER Alert saved this child's life." happy ending. On January 26, a young mother let a "friend of a friend" take her six-year-old daughter to The alert also put Arizona's new operating system for school. The friend turned out to be a registered sex AMBER Alerts to the offender from Louisiana and her daughter never test. Arizona, 11 other showed up at school. states and FEMA are Christopher L. Vasquez, Pinal part of a pilot project County Sheriff "This had the makings of a catastrophic situation," for an operating sys- said Maricopa Police Chief Patrick Melvin. "When we tem that is designed to found out about the suspect's background, I was make it easier for law thinking 'Oh no this is not going to be good.'" enforcement to send alerts and updates. The Maricopa Police Department was brand new and “It's faster, it's more only had a few employees at the time. The Pinal clear and it's light County Sheriff's Office handled the case and issued an years beyond what we AMBER Alert for a six-year old girl with blue eyes, had before," added shoulder-length strawberry-blonde hair, last seen Brooks. "The AMBER wearing pink footie-style pajamas. Arizona State AMBER Alert Alert went out without Coordinator Art Brooks: a hitch." "The AMBER Alert saved The suspect, 26-year-old George Richard Horner, this child's life." heard the alert on the radio and abandoned the victim Chief Melvin is in in the desert. The girl was able to walk out of the agreement: "It worked. It worked. It worked." Ditto desert and into a nearby community. A woman rec- from Sheriff Vasquez: "It went perfectly and played a ognized the six-year-old from the alert and called huge role in recovering this child." police a few hours after the notice went out. Kidnapping suspect The alert worked so well that the facts in the case will G. Richard Horner "He was taking her out to the desert to kill her," said be used in an upcoming Arizona AMBER Alert training committed suicide in Pinal County Sheriff Chris Vasquez about the suspect. jail. “He’s facing a video. “The alert worked like clockwork," said Officer higher authority,” "He got spooked by the AMBER Alert and thought he Joe Delgado, AMBER Alert Training Coordinator for said Pinal County had to ditch her quick.