I was up in the early hours of the morning doing what men in their 60's are inclined to do at that ungodly time. As I returned to bed I noticed my cell phone glowing, even though I always put it face down on my night table, as well as turning off the ringer. I thought I should check and discovered that an amber alert had been issued for a two-year-old child, a message repeated a short while later.
I had difficulty returning to sleep so I did some pondering and praying, including for that child. We found out this morning that all is well, but it was far from a false alarm. The girl was abducted from her mother's house by the estranged father who assaulted the mom after breaking down the door. Hamilton Police say it took about an hour of “communication” with a 37-year-old man before he surrendered and handed over his two-year-old daughter. This was obviously a serious situation which required immediate intervention. While we live several hours from Brantford the police couldn't have known where the suspect and his three accomplices were heading.
Amber alerts can be jarring and annoying and must be frustrating for those awakened from sleep. It is baffling that after recent alerts people decide to phone 911, an emergency line, to complain. There is a level of selfishness to this which is hard to fathom. We need to keep in mind that while AMBER is officially an acronym for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response this missing child alert was originally named after Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old abducted and murdered in Texas in 1996.
There are calls for persons to be charged with mischief for calling 911 to complain about the alerts. That works for me. Police don't issue them lightly, so perhaps we should all respond with prayers for the safety of those in peril. And selfish people should just grow up.
Thoughts?
This blog really strikes a nerve with me. Obviously nobody likes to be awakened in the middle of the night, but come on, it means a child's life is in danger, and a family is panic-stricken. I absolutely agree that a charge of Mischief should be considered for those who call 9-1-1 to complain, or at the very least, a monetary fine. I just cannot wrap my head around the selfishness of people who complain.
ReplyDeleteHey, nobody is forcing you to have your cellphone next to your bed, or even to keep it powered on. If you really don't want to be disturbed, get an alarm clock and keep your cell far, far away.
Roger got it right, on the proverbial head ! W are so fortunate to have services like this in our country!
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