NEW YORK, July 17 (UPI) -- An Amber Alert that woke many New Yorkers shortly before 4 a.m. Wednesday was followed by a speedy backlash from residents who resented the call.
They quickly turned to social media to criticize the alert, The New York Times reported.
One woman questioned the call in a typical tweet: "Is such a disruptive alarm necessary in the middle of the night?"
Police said the alert was sent because Marina Lopez, 25, of Queens abducted her 7-month-old son Tuesday during a supervised visit at a facility in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood. Lopez, described as suffering from bipolar disorder, does not have custody of the boy.
A Police Department spokesman said investigators believe the boy is in danger. But he said New York state police decided to issue the Amber Alert.
Starting in 2011, smartphones have been designed to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts.
