Episode 14: The Amber Alert

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In this episode, attorneys Natalie and Katrina examine the 1996 abduction and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, the case that prompted the creation of the Amber Alert system and reshaped law enforcement response to child abductions nationwide.

We analyze the investigative timeline, evidentiary breakdowns, and jurisdictional delays that limited early rescue efforts, then break down the legal framework governing Amber Alerts today—including statutory criteria, constitutional considerations, and concerns about equal protection, alert fatigue, and public trust.

Nearly three decades later, the case remains unsolved, but its legal legacy endures as one of the most significant reforms in modern child-protection law.