In the initial search for three murdered girls from Wenatchee, an Endangered Missing Persons Alert was issued instead of an Amber Alert, while it is presumed the girlsmay havestill been alive.
The Washington State Patrol’s Communications Director Chris Loftus has explained two of the five criteria law enforcement uses to trigger an Amber Alert were not present throughout the search until Monday afternoon.
Loftus says law enforcement did not believe the girls were in direct peril and the delay in returning the girls to their mother was also considered insufficient to trigger the elevated Amber alert status.
“There has to be evidence that the children are in direct peril of bodily injury or death and in this case law enforcement did not think that this person was motivated to harm the children. Acustodial parent or with custodial privileges being late bringing a child back, is not by itself an indication of abduction” — Chris Loftus, WSP
Loftus says the other elements were known; the girls were all under age 17, there was a full description of everyone involved and a vehicle and an investigation was underway into the girl’s whereabouts. Tragically, the lack of direct evidence the children would be harmed and their delayed return were factors leading authorities to issue the Endangered Missing Person alert and not an Amber alert. Loftus says there have been just two Amber Alerts broadcast in all of 2025 so far.
Sexual Violence in Washington State
Sexual violence and sexual assault are, sadly, types of crime we may never see disappear from society. With the stigma and shame surrounding victims, it’s important to be aware of what the statistics are in our community. Let’s look at the official statistics for sexual violence in Washington state.
Gallery Credit: Jaime Skelton
