PASCO, Wash. — An AMBER Alert was canceled the afternoon of Nov. 27 after a 14-year-old previously thought to have been abducted out of the Pasco area was found in Seattle.
Prior to being found, the 14-year-old girl was last seen on Nov. 25 around 6 p.m. The alert was canceled at 2:11 p.m. on Nov. 27, less than 15 hours after the alert was issued.
The girl was found in the 400 block of Broad Street near the Space Needle, according to the Seattle Police Department.
The West Richland Police Department does not believe the girl was abducted.
She was with a 35-year-old man in the Seattle-King County area, who police said turned himself in when he heard about the AMBER Alert. The girl has no relationship to the man, according to police. No charges have been filed.
The girl has since been reunited with her parents. She was not injured.
What is an AMBER Alert?
An AMBER Alert is issued when a child is abducted and the case meets certain criteria. Law enforcement notifies broadcasters and state transportation officials to broadcast alerts on radio, TV, highway signs and wireless devices.
AMBER Alert criteria can vary by state but federal guidance includes reasonable belief an abduction occurred, belief the child is in immediate danger of serious bodily injury or death and enough descriptive information about the child and the abduction.
The bar is intentionally high for an AMBER Alert to avoid the public being desensitized to them, according to the organization.
The program was developed in 1996. As of Jan. 2, 2023, the program contributed to the recovery of 1,127 children and the alerts resulted in 131 children being rescued.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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