Remembering Amber

January 2009

Investigators announced last month that the 1981 murder of six-year-old Adam Walsh had finally been solved. John Walsh, Adam's father and the host of America's Most Wanted, described it as "the end of a long journey." We are relieved and thankful that this painful chapter in their lives can at last be closed. At the same time, we are mindful that many others who have lost sons and daughters continue on their own journeys to find answers.

Thirteen years ago this month, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman disappeared from her Arlington, Texas neighborhood, never to be seen alive again. Her killer remains at large―no suspect has ever been identified―and the pain of her loss has yet to be eased by the knowledge that justice will be served. But as with Adam Walsh, Amber's legacy has had a transformative effect on the way our nation responds to missing and abducted children.

Just as Adam's murder and his parents' advocacy brought about a coordinated national response to missing children, Amber's death led to the creation of a dynamic system for finding and recovering abducted children. The AMBER Alert system, named in her honor, has fundamentally altered the public safety landscape, giving children a strong line of protection in the form of citizen vigilance and rapid response. Thanks to this system, which operates in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, more than 430 abducted children have been recovered and safely returned to their families. In many cases, the system itself has been the reason for success, as notice of an AMBER Alert has been enough to stop abductors in their tracks.

The National AMBER Alert network is a wellspring of innovation, having helped to establish and promote the secondary distribution network, the Wireless AMBER Alerts™ initiative, and other important efforts. It also is a model of collaboration. In addition to the founding members―the broadcast media, law enforcement agencies, and departments of transportation―the network now includes trucking carriers, airport security screeners, and a host of private sector partners. Moreover, few crime-fighting efforts can boast of such active citizen involvement.

As we remember Amber Hagerman and Adam Walsh, we will continue to improve upon and expand this innovative and effective system for protecting our nation's children.