TN criteria for Amber Alert require which of the following elements to be present?

• A. Description of child/suspect/vehicle must be provided
• B. Child must be under 18
• C. Child must be in imminent danger
• D. Guardian must report within 24 hours

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that the Amber Alert hinges on having information that can be broadcast to help locate the child and suspect. Providing a clear description of the child, the suspect, and any vehicle involved gives the public concrete, recognizable details to look for and report. Without those details, the alert loses its effectiveness, because people can’t identify what they should be seeing or listening for.

While other elements often associated with Amber Alerts—such as the child being under 18 and the situation involving imminent danger—are important to the overall process, they are not the single gating factor to issue the alert. The presence of describable information that can be disseminated is what makes the alert actionable and timely. There isn’t a 24-hour reporting requirement to trigger the alert, and the description requirement best explains why the alert would be issued in Tennessee.