After a mother and son were allegedly kidnapped by a man police say was armed, questions remain about the alert process.
On Wednesday at 1:30 p.m., the state issued an Amber Alert while police searched for 20-year-old Brenda Sanchez and her 3-year-old son Ivan.
Police said they’d been kidnapped at gunpoint by Sergio Martinez.
Despite the timing of the statewide Amber Alert, the search for the mom and son actually began at 8:30 a.m.
At 11:27 a.m., Aurora PD tweeted they were looking for the missing mom and son.
#AMBERAlert: Today at approximately 8:35 a.m. the Denver Police Department received a report of the below shown... https://t.co/arlLDRYtr2
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) December 7, 2016
An hour after the Amber Alert was issued, the missing car, mother and son were found safe in Boulder.
Many people immediately questioned why the alert was issued hours after the victims went missing.
What took so long and why is the process so complicated?
CBI spokesperson Susan Medina said investigators must comb over every detail before issuing a statewide alert.
“We look at that criteria. We evaluate it," Medina said. "We look at the facts of the case and then based on that we make the determination usually erring on the side of caution in many instances…then we alert the media through the Amber Alert activation.”
#AMBERAlert UPDATE: Vehicle located in Boulder. Suspect taken into custody. Mother and child are ok. Investigation on-going. https://t.co/I8bBjNetDl
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) December 7, 2016
Martinez, their alleged kidnapper, was arrested.
Police say he had a no contact order with the victim.
Investigators did not say how they were related.
9 Wants to Know checked his criminal background and found Martinez had a long, violent criminal history.
