A large painted mural adorns a memorial for Amber Hagerman, the little girl who was abducted on her bike and later found dead in Arlington, Texas in 1996.(Tom Fox / Staff Photographer)

25 years after the abduction of Amber Hagerman, hope and hard work continue

Brian Thurber | January 19, 2021

From the Dallas Morning News: “For the first time, police said they have DNA evidence that someday — with new technology that has solved other high-profile cold cases — could be the key to finding her killer.” A hallmark of surviving families is their strength and resilience in keeping hope – active and intentional – […]

AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 4 2020

Brian Thurber | December 11, 2020

A nine-member task force has begun compiling a report on murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls in Utah. The task force hopes to understand the scope of the problem and stop further injustices from occurring. The members include representatives from Restoring Ancestral Winds, the Urban Indian Center, the Paiute Indian Tribe, and several state […]

First Year Report on Operation Lady Justice Activities & Accomplishments

Melissa Blasing | December 10, 2020

(From the USDOJ official press release) The Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) today [December 10, 2020] released a status report detailing accomplishments during its first year and outlining its strategy for the next 12 months. The President’s Executive Order (E.O.) 13898, set forth a range of tasks […]

AATTAP Attends the 4 Directions MMIW Conference

Melissa Blasing | November 30, 2020

In November 2019, AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program, AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC) team members attended the 1st Annual 4 Directions MMIW Conference in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The conference was hosted by the Chickasaw Nation and included speakers who addressed a variety of topics related to missing and murdered Indigenous women such […]

AATTAP-AIIC Staff Member Tyesha Woods at Penobscot Nation Tribal Court to participate in TAP Deployment

Penobscot Nation and AMBER Alert in Indian Country

Melissa Blasing | November 23, 2020

AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC) team members attended the U.S. Department of Justice Tribal Access Program’s November 2019 (TAP) deployment with the Penobscot Tribal Court and Police Department, in Indian Island, Maine. The AATTAP-AIIC provided a presentation on the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018 and spoke with Penobscot Tribal Police, […]

AMBER Alert in Indian Country

AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 3 2020

Brian Thurber | October 4, 2020

A case that ended with the safe recovery of four missing children from the Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming became the 1,000th AMBER Alert success story. AMBER Alerts were issued in Wyoming and Colorado for the missing children, ages 5, 6, 11 and 14. Authorities believed they were be in imminent danger after being taken by […]

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Female Associate Standing at Information Booth

Tribal Leaders Summit and Trade Show

Melissa Blasing | August 27, 2020

In September 2019, AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program, AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC) team members attended the Annual Tribal Leaders Summit and Trade Show in Bismarck, North Dakota. This yearly event, is hosted by the United Tribes Technical College and brings together nearly 700 tribal leaders and partners from across the Great […]

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT RESEARCH FINDS ALASKA VILLAGE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS MAKING IMPACT IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES INVOLVING MINORS

Melissa Blasing | August 24, 2020

WASHINGTON – Research funded by the Office of Justice Programs’ National Institute of Justice found that Alaska Village Public Safety Officers improve the justice system’s response to sexual violence by increasing the likelihood that, in investigations involving minors, a case is referred for prosecution, according to an article published today by NIJ. The study by […]

Screen shot of the2020 Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial Page

98th Annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial

Melissa Blasing | August 4, 2020

In August 2019, AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program, AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC) team members attended the 98th Annual Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial in Gallup, New Mexico. The AATTAP-AIIC hosted an information table during the event, and spoke with attendees on resources available to assist tribes with developing and/or strengthening missing and […]

1000th AMBER Alert Recovery

Indian Country Involved in AMBER Alert’s 1000th Successful Recovery

Brian Thurber | July 27, 2020

The original post can be found at https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2020/1000-success-stories By Patricia Davis 07-23-2020 A home movie was being shown on the evening news, and Diana Simone stopped what she was doing to watch, curious why they were featuring an excited little girl opening her Christmas presents nearly three weeks after the holiday. The blue-eyed brunette happily […]