wsbt.com

One out of every 100 children will be abducted, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Local law enforcement may activate an Amber Alert to locate missing children but certain criteria must be met before they will do so.

The Amber Alert plan was first implemented in Texas after the kidnapping and murder of Amber Hagerman in 1996. The plan's goal is to help police locate abducted and endangered children by getting information out to the general public online and on-air.

Indiana implemented its own Amber Alert Plan in October 2002.

In order for an Amber Alert to be issued in Indiana, the following criteria must be met:

• The child must be under 18
• The child must be believed to have been abducted and in danger of serious bodily harm or death
• There must be enough information to believe a broadcast will help, this may require a vehicle description
• The request must be made by the law enforcement agency where the abducted child is from

Runaways do not qualify for Amber Alert activation. Children taken in custody disputes also do not typically qualify for Amber Alert activation.

For more information about the Amber Alert Plan in Indiana contact Indiana State Police Missing Children at (317) 232-8310.