Amber Alert called off after missing 5-year-old girl found
An Amber Alert that sent shockwaves through the Greater Toronto Area Tuesday afternoon has been called off, according to police, much to the relief of those who were worried for the 5-year-old girl.
Police in York Region had been appealing to anyone in and around the GTA for help in locating a young girl who they say was abducted from her school in Markham around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
School staff say the girl's father— who is not supposed to have access to the child— abducted her from a classroom and took her off-site. Staff called police who then issued a province-wide Amber Alert.
CHILD FOUND: We have located 5-year-old Jannah Jaffri in good health. Her father has been taken into custody. Investigation is ongoing. Thank you to our community for your assistance in bringing Jannah home safely.
— York Regional Police (@YRP) March 19, 2019
The alert terrified many when it popped up on their phones this afternoon, but not in the same way it did when the CRTC started testing Canada's national alert system last year. Nor in the same way it did last month, when some people were startled out of bed by an actual Amber Alert and then complained about it on Twitter.
Those who may have been annoyed by the jarring alert just one month ago are chilled by the similarities between this and the last high-profile Amber Alert to sweep Ontario.
Hey people, do better this time, don’t complain. Spread the information! #amberalert pic.twitter.com/MJ2Z5f16C2
— Mathew Tsang 📷 (@MathewTsang) March 19, 2019
On Valentine's Day, 11-year-old Riya Rajkumar was found dead in her father's basement apartment after an apparent abduction.
Police arrested Roopesh Rajkumar, 41, not long after his daughter's death in a high-risk, highway takedown when a motorist recognized his car from the Amber Alert and called 911. He later died in hospital as the result of a self-inflicted gun wound.
The only thing that I want today is to hear that Jannah Jaffri has been found, safe and sound.
— Pills & Pebbles (@pillsandpebbles) March 19, 2019
Please don't let her suffer.
Please don't let this unfold like the Amber Alert that broke our hearts on Valentine's day. Riya Rajkumar should still be here.
People all over the country were especially worried for the Markham girl's safety in light of Riya's tragic abduction and death at the hands of her own father.
#Ontario #AmberAlert - York Regional Police have issued an Amber Alert after a 5-year-old girl was abducted from her school in Markham. - Jannah Jaffri, 5 https://t.co/axQPWO8WfK pic.twitter.com/UJALQ2tQgq
— MissingPeople.Ca (@OntarioNorth) March 19, 2019
Fortunately, police were able to locate and arrest the girl's 25-year-old father Soloman Jaffri on Tuesday evening.
Few details have been shared by police thus far, but many around the province are relieved to hear that the young girl is okay.
seeing an amber alert always breaks my heart but i’m glad she was FOUND!!
— syd 👼🏻 (@onthelooselwt) March 19, 2019
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