Missing boy found safe, AMBER Alert canceled
DENTON — A 4-year-old reported missing out of Denton has been found safe.
Police say the child was found in Richardson around 1 a.m. Friday morning with the suspect who has been identified as Selena Gratsy. The 40-year-old, who is the child's non-custodial parent, is now in custody.
Denton Police have not shared what charges Gratsy faces.
In a statement, DPD thanked the community for its efforts in finding the child: "We would like to thank everyone who helped spread the word about and keep an eye out for [the child], as well as say thank you to our partner agencies for their assistance."
The Amber Alert for the child was initially sent out just before 11 p.m. Thursday night.
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 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.
RELATED: 28 years later, Arlington Police Department remains dedicated to finding Amber Hagerman's killer