Why an Amber Alert wasn’t issued for baby Shaylyn

SPENCER, Ind. (WISH) — The reason an Amber Alert wasn’t issued in the disappearance of Shaylyn Ammerman is because the case didn’t meet the criteria, according to Indiana State Police.

Here’s a look at that criteria:

• The child must be under 18 years of age.
• The child must be believed to be abducted and in danger of serious bodily harm or death.
• There must be enough descriptive information to believe the broadcast will help.
• The request must be recommended by the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction.

“In an Amber Alert we either to have to have their vehicle, suspect vehicle, or a person, a suspect person. Right now, we have neither. We don’t know who actually took the baby, how the baby got out of the house. So without those two criteria, an Amber Alert is not going to be met,” said ISP Sgt. Curt Durnil.

That doesn’t mean authorities aren’t using every resource possible to find Shaylyn, Durnil said.

Multiple agencies from local police to state police and FBI, even Indiana conservation officers, are aiding in the search.