“Amber Alert in Seattle: Urgent Search Underway for Abducted Child—What We Know Right Now”

UPDATE: CHILD FOUND SAFE, AMBER ALERT CANCELED Washington State Patrol (WSP) canceled Thursday evening’s Amber Alert for 3-year-old Tavaea Dixon shortly after 8 p.m., announcing that Seattle Police located the toddler unharmed and took the suspect into custody. The agency thanked the public for the flood of tips that followed the Wireless Emergency Alert that buzzed phones across Puget Sound just after 6:45 p.m. WHAT HAPPENED • Location of abduction: 16th Ave SW & SW 100th St. in White Center, an unincorporated neighborhood just south of West Seattle. • Time: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 10. • Victim: Tavaea Dixon, Black female, 3′0″, 35 lbs, braided hair in pink beads, wearing a pink rain jacket and unicorn sneakers. • Suspect: 28-year-old Zachary Cole Matthews, transient, known to family. • Vehicle: Silver 2012 Honda Civic, temporary paper plate starting with “B25.” According to investigators, Matthews approached the child outside a corner store while her father was loading groceries. Witnesses said the suspect “seemed agitated,” grabbed the toddler, and sped off westbound on SW 100th St. Surveillance cameras captured the sedan but not the full plate number. TIMELINE OF EVENTS 6:30 p.m. – Abduction reported to 911; King County Sheriff’s Office begins area search. 6:44 p.m. – Criteria met; WSP issues Amber Alert statewide. Phones in King, Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap counties receive Wireless Emergency Alerts within seconds. 7:05 p.m. – First sighting reported on SR-509 heading toward Tacoma. 7:42 p.m. – Tacoma patrol unit locates vehicle abandoned near S. 72nd St. and Alaska St. 7:55 p.m. – SPD SWAT rescues child in nearby apartment; suspect arrested without incident. 8:03 p.m. – Amber Alert canceled; media and social channels updated. HOW THE AMBER ALERT SYSTEM WORKS IN WASHINGTON • Lead agency: Washington State Patrol. • Criteria: Child under 18, believed abducted, risk of serious injury or death, enough descriptive info about victim, suspect, or vehicle to assist recovery. • Distribution: Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), Highway Reader Boards, NOAA Weather Radio, media push, and @wspdPIO social feeds. Because phone settings sometimes mute critical alerts, WSP urges residents to verify that “Amber Alerts” are toggled ON under iPhone Settings > Notifications > Emergency Alerts or Android Settings > Safety & Emergency > Wireless emergency alerts. WHAT TO DO IF YOU EVER SPOT A SUSPECT VEHICLE 1. Note exact location, direction of travel, and any visible plate characters. 2. Call 911; do NOT pursue. 3. If safe to do so, capture a photo or video for detectives. PAST SEATTLE-AREA AMBER ALERT SUCCESSES • 2023 Burien: 2-year-old recovered in 37 minutes after Lyft driver livestreamed suspect car. • 2021 Tacoma: Siblings, 5 and 7, found safe at SeaTac Airport after gate agent recognized WEA description. • 2018 Sammamish: Teen rescued when gas-station clerk locked doors and alerted police. STAY PREPARED • Add 1-800-843-5678 (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children) to contacts. • Follow @wastatepatrol and @SeattlePD on X for instant bulletins. • Teach children “CHECK FIRST” rules before going anywhere with anyone. BOTTOM LINE Thursday’s rapid resolution underscores why every pinged phone and social-media share matters. Keep emergency alerts enabled, memorize the basic criteria, and stay alert on the road. Your next quick glance could be the difference that brings another Washington child home safe.