16-year-old girl from West Tawakoni found, Amber Alert canceled
WEST TAWAKONI, Texas – An Amber Alert has been canceled for a 16-year-old out of West Tawakoni, about 50 miles east of Dallas, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Amber Alerts in Texas
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's latest data points to the most Amber Alerts being issued in Texas.
Between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, 185 Amber Alerts were issued across 36 states. Data from the 2023 Annual Amber Alert Report shows that 26%, or 49 of those alerts, were issued in Texas. North Carolina had the second-most alerts issued — 17 — and Ohio came in third with 13 alerts issued.
The history of the Amber Alert
The first Amber Alert was issued on January 13, 1996, after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman was reported missing. The body of the little girl who lived in Arlington, Texas was found four days later in a creek.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children shares the story of a woman in the community who called for a public Emergency Alert System.
Diane Simone wanted community members to be alerted when there's a child missing so they could help in the search. She requested it be named after Amber Hagerman and hence, Amber's Plan was created in her memory.