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CALL 6: Amber Alert for three endangered children should have been issued days earlier

Posted at 5:56 PM, Jul 19, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-19 20:10:47-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Amber Alert issued Tuesday for three missing and endangered children should have been issued days earlier, sources tell Call 6 Investigates.

Mekielle Pullins, 22, is accused of abducting her three children and making threats to harm them. An Amber Alert was issued Tuesday and the children were located safely that evening. 

Police are still searching for Pullins.

According to Call 6 Investigates sources familiar with the case, Pullins’ threats toward her three children were reported last Friday, when the children first went missing, to the Department of Child Services.

DCS didn’t report the threat to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department until Tuesday afternoon.

RELATED | Indiana sees large increase in Amber Alerts over the last decade

Call 6 Investigates has also learned that another report was made to DCS on Thursday, but wasn't specific about the threats and DCS isn't required to report non-urgent cases to law enforcement for five days. 

A second report with more specifics on the threats was made on Friday, but IMPD was not notified until Tuesday. DCS policy states that IMPD should have been notified within an hour. 

IMPD sources said they were so concerned by the threat that they immediately began the process of issuing an Amber Alert and trying to track down the mother.

Police said they have Child Abuse Detectives on-call 24/7 to respond when requested by DCS.

DCS said they do not comment on active cases.

The alleged abduction remains under investigation by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and DCS. 

RELATED | Three missing Indianapolis children located; police searching for mother