March 6, 2003

Allegan - Police officials are crediting the use of the Amber Alert Program as the reason a pair of siblings was recovered unharmed after they were reported missing on March 3, 2003.

The Allegan County Sheriff Department and the Otsego Police Department activated Amber Alert of Michigan yesterday to assist in their investigation of missing 15-year old and 13-year old siblings, Tabitha and Anthony Warner. Tabitha and Anthony were reported missing on March 3, 2003, after their non-custodial father failed to return them on March 2, 2003.

Minutes after the activation, local west Michigan media began broadcasting information about the missing siblings to the public.

Tabitha and Anthony were dropped off at the Meijer in Plainwell at approximately 8 p.m. on March 03, 2003, after hearing the Amber Alert on the radio. Both were unharmed. The Allegan County Sheriff Department advised the MSP that the children were left at the store due to the amount of attention the Amber Alert had received. This is one of many cases throughout the country were Amber Alert has resulted in the safe recovery of a missing child.

Amber Alert of Michigan is a non-profit organization dedicated to being a liaison between law enforcement and the media to help in the immediate dissemination of information to the public about a missing child.

Amber Alert of Michigan is supported by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, the Michigan Department of State Police, the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association and the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police. Amber Alert of Michigan has been operating since June 2001, and has been activated on 27 separate missing child cases.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Investigation – Detective Mathis, Allegan County Sheriff Department, (269) 673-0520

Amber Alert – Sgt. Greg Jones, Michigan State Police Prevention Services Section, (517) 333-4017

Amber Alert of Michigan, (616) 964-7100