Thirty years after the abduction and killing of Amber Hagerman in Arlington led to the creation of the nation’s first AMBER Alert, the emergency system named in her honor has grown into a statewide and national public safety tool — even as the original case remains unsolved.
Amber, 9, was abducted while riding her bicycle in January 1996 in Arlington. Her body was found four days later in a creek near her home. No arrests have been made.
On the 25th anniversary of Amber Hagerman’s death, Arlington Police Detective Grant Gildon points to photos and evidence surrounding the abduction and subsequent murder of the little girl on January 13, 1996. The Arlington Police Department held a press event to provide new details at the abduction site in E. Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, January 13, 2021. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
Following her death, North Texas broadcasters and law enforcement created a rapid public notification system designed to enlist the public’s help during child abductions. That model later became America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response (AMBER Alert), which now operates in all 50 states.
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As of Dec. 18, 2025, 1,292 children had been successfully located nationwide through an AMBER Alert. The alerts are reserved for confirmed abductions where a child is believed to be in imminent danger, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Texas marks National AMBER Alert Day
In recognition of National AMBER Alert Day, the Texas Department of Public Safety reminded Texans of the role alerts play in child recovery efforts and broader public safety initiatives.
“When an AMBER Alert is issued, it sets an immediate and unified response into motion,” said Gerald Brown, chief of DPS’s Homeland Security Division, in a news release. “The coordination between local, state, and federal partners is critical.”
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DPS urged residents to read alert messages carefully and remain observant of their surroundings when alerts appear on mobile phones, highway signs, broadcasts or social media. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 immediately.
Amber Hagerman’s mother Donna Williams touches a photo of her daughter on the original ‘Missing’ poster that was displayed during a press conference at the abduction site in E. Arlington, Texas, Wednesday, January 13, 2021. On the 25th anniversary of Amber Hagerman’s death, Donna spoke about her daughter and pleaded for the killer to turn themselves into the Arlington Police Department. The department held a press event to provide new details surrounding the abduction and subsequent murder of the little girl that occurred on January 13, 1996. (Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)
Tom Fox / Staff Photographer
DPS administers AMBER Alerts as part of Texas’ Statewide Alert Program, which also includes Silver Alerts for missing seniors, Blue Alerts for threats to law enforcement, and other emergency notifications authorized by the Texas Legislature, according to the release.
A system rooted in North Texas
On Jan. 13, 1996, Amber vanished while riding her bicycle in the parking lot of an abandoned grocery store in Arlington with her brother when a man in a pickup snatched her from the bike, pulling her into his truck and driving away, The Dallas Morning News reported.
A memorial garden dedicated to Amber Hagerman is shown in April, 2003. Amber was kidnapped in January of 1996 along the 1600 block of E. Abram St. in Arlington. while riding her bicycle. President Bush sign the Amber Alert package, a warning system to alert the public for missing or kidnapped children, into law today.
Ron Baselice / The Dallas Morning News
Despite a massive search, her body was found four days later. The case devastated the local community and reverberated far beyond Dallas-Fort Worth.
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Broadcasters, law enforcement and advocates in North Texas soon developed a rapid public notification system designed to mobilize immediate attention in high-risk child abductions. The model quickly spread to other regions and was eventually formalized at the national level.
Today, AMBER Alerts are sent through wireless emergency alerts, radio, television and digital highway signs — reaching millions within minutes of activation. The alerts include descriptions of the child, suspected vehicle and other identifying details, according to the DOJ.
Ten years after Amber Hagerman’s abduction and slaying, a photo of her and brother Ricky sat on a shelf with angel figures in the home of Glenda Whitson, the children’s grandmother. Whitson died in 2017.
File Photo / Staff
Texas formally established its AMBER Alert network in 2002 under then-Gov. Rick Perry, according to DPS.
The program was later codified by the Legislature. In 2023, Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation allowing for expanded local activation of AMBER Alerts in certain cases, following the 2022 abduction and killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Wise County, the release says.
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DPS activates alerts when an authorized law enforcement agency certifies that legal criteria have been met. Alerts typically end when the missing person is found or when investigators determine the alert is no longer needed.
Unfinished justice
While the AMBER Alert system has helped recover hundreds of children, Amber Hagerman’s case remains open.
Investigators have said advances in DNA testing and forensic technology have renewed hope in cold cases, including hers.
Sgt. Mark Simpson who is head of the Amber Hagerman Task Force sits behind stacks of paper on March 14, 1996 which contain tips collected from the case. The Arlington Police department is devoting lots of time, money and manpower to finding the little girl’s killer. Investigators say time is on their side and are confident they will find Amber’s killer.
The Dallas Morning News
Arlington police have launched a new tip line in the investigation into the 1996 killing of Amber Hagerman.
Tips can be submitted by calling 817-575-8823. Oak Farms Dairy is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction, according to police.
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Investigators also released an updated suspect description, saying the suspect is believed to be a white or Hispanic man now in his 50s or 60s, under 6 feet tall, with a medium build and brown or black hair.
Police said the suspect was believed to be driving a black, full-size pickup truck from the 1980s or 1990s with a single cab, short wheelbase and a clear rear window with no sliding panel.