amber alert today

Amber Alert sends shockwaves through Ontario just days before Christmas

An Amber Alert has been issued across much of Ontario after the alleged abduction of a 9-month-old girl in Ottawa's Chinatown neighbourhood.

The baby, Magnolia "Maggie" Knox, was last seen around noon on Friday in Canada's capital city with her 39-year-old mother (and suspect in the case) Sherma Knox.

Police in Ottawa say the child was "taken by her mother" from the Lebreton Street North and Booth Street area. Sherma was on foot and carrying Maggie in her arms.

Sherma is described by police as a black woman, 5'7" and roughly 200 lbs. She was last seen wearing grey pants, a long black parka, black mesh shoes, a touque and a beige backpack. 

"She has finger nails painted purple with sparkles," note police.

The baby is said to have been wearing a striped blue, red and pink shirt, navy colored leggings, pink onesie, floral dress and tan slip-on shoes at the time of her abduction.

"Anyone with information about the current whereabouts of Sherma or Maggie is asked to call 911 immediately," said Ottawa Police on Friday in a media release entitled "Missing 9 month old – Parental Abduction."

With just one week to go before Christmas and many Ontarians preparing to see family and friends in the coming days, news of a missing child came as particularly jarring to many.

"If you are in this area or the surrounding areas please keep your eye out and bring this poor angel home," tweeted one Ontario resident. 

"There is an #AMBERAlert for a little girl in Ottawa right now," wrote another. "Only 9 months old. Please take this stuff seriously, your comfort isn't worth the life of a baby."

And yet, in a dissapointing turn, people are still daring to complain about the alert on Twitter.

"Of course, getting an alert for some area 8+ hours away from where i am," bemoaned someone in the province.

"At least It wasn't at 3 a.m.," wrote another.

And they're not only griping on online, either: Some people are once again calling 911 to complain of of the alert and its related noises.

"....aaaaaand we have just received our first 911 call about the Amber Alert. Because the alert wouldn't stop on the tv," wrote Halton Police on Twitter just minutes after the message was issued through Ontario's Alert Ready system.

"Remember that 911 is for emergencies. Calling 911 for non-emergency situations ties up important lifelines meant for people in immediate jeopardy."

And as always, even more people preemptively took to Twitter with angry messages for complainers. 

"An amber alert was just issued for a missing child. Unclench your pearls and put your phone down if you are having the urge to call 911 to complain," tweeted one person. "#dipshits."

"Seeing as there's another #AmberAlert for Ontario (Ottawa/National Capital Region), here is a reminder to anyone who complains about receiving the warning: GO F--- YOURSELF," wrote another.

"To everyone else, have a nice day and happy holidays."

Lead photo by

blogTO


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