Langley’s missing baby has been found safe, as well as his mother.
Just before 5 p.m. Friday afternoon, April 5, police were notified by staff at the Langley Memorial Hospital that both son and mom were there.
“Police attended and confirmed both were there and in good health,” said Cpl. Craig van Herk.
The search lasted for nearly 21 hours, after an Amber Alert was initiated Thursday evening at about 8 p.m.
The search Thursday night was extensive, with Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue setting up a command post on the corner of 72nd Avenue and 208th Street, where the mother was last seen with the four-month-old.
“Langley RCMP would like to thank the public and media for their assistance in this matter,” van Herk concluded.
The circumstances surrounding the parental abduction are still under investigation.
Langley RCMP say the Amber Alert is one of the tools available to them in a missing child investigation.
“The early stage of the investigation into an abducted child is critical. Every minute counts. The cooperation of the media and the public is crucial to the police,” said Cpl. Craig van Herk.
The Amber Alert program is a province-wide system that coordinates resources of polices agencies, media, and the public to help provide immediate and up-to-date information about an abducted child.
“The determination of police investigators alone is not enough to guarantee the safe recovery of a child. Help from the community is essential. Information obtained quickly through an AMBER Alert can assist in the safe and swift return of abducted children,” explained van Herk.
An Amber Alert is activated if the following criteria are met:
– the victim is younger than 18 years old
– police have reason to believe the victim has been abducted
– police have reason to believe the victim is in imminent danger
– police have obtained enough information to describe the victim, suspect, and/or a vehicle involved
– police believe the alert can be used in a time frame that provides a reasonable expectation that the child can be returned, or the suspect apprehended
“Thankfully we don’t have many situations like this that require the use of them often. We rely heavily on our communities for assistance in these situations,” van Herk shared.
Where the situation is determined to be a parental abduction can depend on a number of circumstances such as custody agreements, ministry of children and family development apprehensions, or certain court-imposed conditions (like no contact orders).
As to why this might happen, there is no easy or simple answer.
“There are so many potential situations… emotions, physical, or mental health, various external stressors, are only a few possible challenges,” he said.
The Amber Alert for baby Tyler was determined based on the information police had collected.
“We responded to the initial reports and, as information was obtained, investigators determined there was a safety concern for the baby and for his mother,” van Herk told the Langley Advance Times.
Van Herk shared his thanks with community members for their tips, and for both uniformed and plainclothed officers.
“Alerts, particularly Amber Alerts, empowers the community to work cooperatively with us as law enforcement and the media to increase the safety of our communities. That is a significant thing.”
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