An AMBER Alert has been issued for a missing child in Durham, North Carolina. The Durham Police Department believes that 9-year-old Geon King-Parriett has been taken by his biological mother.

Geon was last seen at around 6:03 p.m. on Thursday. He is a black male, about 4 feet 10 inches tall, and weighs 100 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes and was wearing an all-black outfit, including a hoodie and sweatpants.

His mother, Mariah King, is 33 years old, 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighs 140 pounds. She also has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing grey sweatpants and a black crop top, with her hair styled up.

The pair was last seen walking away from 202 S Benjamin Street on Thursday.

What is an AMBER Alert?

An AMBER Alert is a special system used to quickly spread information about a missing child who might be in danger. The name "AMBER" stands for "America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response." This alert helps the public to assist in finding the child and suspects involved.

The system was created in memory of Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl abducted and murdered in Texas in 1996. Alerts are sent out through TV, radio, and road signs, providing details about the child, any suspects, and vehicles.

Since its start, the AMBER Alert system has helped find over 1,200 children and rescued 180 because of the alerts.

Some social media users have criticised the AMBER Alert issued by the Durham Police Department. Comments on the department's Facebook post suggest that the alerts did not provide useful information and that there were inaccuracies.

If you have any information about Geon King-Parriett's whereabouts, please contact the Durham Police Department at 919-475-2511 or call 911 immediately.

In recent months, there have been notable cases involving AMBER Alerts. For instance, a Wisconsin toddler, Elijah Vue, remains missing months after an AMBER Alert was issued. His mother and her boyfriend are facing child neglect charges.

In June, a review was requested after the murder of a child in Louisiana. Concerns were raised about the efficiency of the AMBER Alert system following the slow response to the disappearance of two girls, Erin and Jalie Brunett. Four-year-old Erin was found dead shortly after the alert.