Amber alert issued for 12-year-old San Antonio-area girl, last seen Tuesday

CONVERSE, Texas (KTRK) -- A missing 12-year-old from the San Antonio area has prompted authorities to issue a statewide Amber Alert, and police are looking for a woman in connection with the child's disappearance.

Alheirie Michelle Rodriguez Pomales, 12, was last seen Tuesday wearing a black pullover shirt, black pants, and was carrying a pink and gray backpack, authorities said.

Pomales is a Hispanic female with brown hair and brown eyes. She's approximately 5 feet tall and weighs 100 pounds.

Marie Rodriguez Pomales is wanted in connection with the disappearance. Maris Pomales is a Hispanic female, 28 years old, and has brown hair and brown eyes. She is 5 feet tall and weighs 120 pounds.

If you know anything about this case, call 911 or the Judson ISD Police Department at 210-659-9789.

Certain criteria need to be met in order for law enforcement to issue an Amber Alert for a missing child age 17 or younger.

First, there needs to be a reasonable belief by law enforcement that an abduction occurred. Additionally, the law enforcement agency believes that the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.

Another criteria is that there is enough descriptive information about the victim and the abduction that would assist in the recovery of the child, such as a vehicle description or license plate number.

As part of the Amber Alert, the child's name and other critical date elements, including the child abduction flag, are entered into the National Crime Information Center.

The Amber Alert system, used in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, was created in 1996. It stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bike in Arlington, Texas, and later murdered.

You can view all active Texas Amber Alerts from the Texas Dept. of Public Safety here.