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Why did I not receive an automatic alert on my phone regarding today's Amber Alert?

Amber Alert was issued at 1:20 a.m. Monday

DANVILLE, Va. – UPDATE

State police have canceled an AMBER Alert for an abducted 7-month-old Danville girl after the child was found safe. 

Emma Grace Kennedy appears to be in good health, but is being evaluated at a hospital as a precaution. Her father has been arrested. 

Click here for the most up-to-date information.


ORIGINAL STORY

At 1:20 a.m. Monday, Virginia State Police issued an Amber Alert for 7-month-old Emma Grace Kennedy.

Typically, when you're near the location where an AMBER alert has been issued, your phone, and the phones of everyone around you, start making noise and vibrating.

So why weren't you awakened at 1:20 a.m. to your phone blaring?

Gas shop owner, one of the people to see Emma Kennedy, speaks out after alleged abduction

State police decided it was too early in the morning to activate that type of alert on your phone, according to state police public relations manager Corinne Geller.

What led to an Amber Alert, alleged kidnapping of 7-month-old Emma Grace Kennedy

Geller said one of the concerns was that by pushing the alert out to phones that early, people would opt-out of future alerts.

She did say that if the Amber Alert was issued later in the day, such as 1 p.m., an alert to phones would have been sent.

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