Ecuador activates Emilia Alert after seven-year-old Sandy Fernanda Tseman Shakaim disappears

Ecuadorian authorities activated an Emilia Alert for seven-year-old Sandy Fernanda Tseman Shakaim after her disappearance in Morona Santiago province.

Sandy Fernanda disappeared on September 2 in Sucúa canton. Information released by the prosecutor’s office says she left her home that day accompanied by her 13-year-old sister. Her relatives noticed her absence during the day.

The Interior Ministry, the prosecutor’s office and the National Police are involved in the response. Specialized police units have kept the priority search protocol active nationwide and are asking residents to provide any information that could help locate the child.

People with official information about Sandy Fernanda’s whereabouts can immediately call the toll-free line 1800 DELITO, or 335486. Authorities also urged the public to share only posters issued through state institutional accounts to prevent false or unverified information from circulating.

The Emilia Alert system was created in Ecuador in 2018 to support the immediate search for missing children and adolescents considered to be at high risk. Inspired by the Amber Alert model, it uses rapid dissemination, mainly through Facebook and Instagram, across an approximately 200-kilometer radius.