The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is clarifying the process for issuing an amber alert following the search for an abducted teen in St. John’s this week.

The 14-year-old girl was first reported missing June 2nd, and for almost a week it was treated as a missing persons case.

However, last Thursday the RNC issued an amber alert, saying they had new information indicating the girl had been abducted.

She was found safe early the following morning, and now three people, including a New Brunswick man, are facing charges related to her abduction.

The time it took to issue the amber alert has raised concern from some who believe it should have been issued much sooner.

RNC Constable James Cadigan says there are specific criteria that need to be met before an amber alert is issued and the RNC have to make sure all the boxes are ticked. That said, they did try to get all the information out there that they could. When they discovered that an abduction had taken place, they believed that all the criteria had been met and an amber alert was issued.