On the request of a local law enforcement agency regarding an abducted child, the department shall activate the alert system and notify appropriate participants in the alert system if:

• A. The child is older than 18 and abducted
• B. The child is missing but not abducted
• C. The child is younger than 14 and abducted from the care or custody without permission
• D. The child is younger than 14 and abducted from the care or custody of the parent or legal guardian without the permission

Answer: (D)

The key idea being tested is the specific statutory trigger for activating the child alert system in an abducted-child case. The statute requires two elements to be met: the child must be younger than 14, and the abduction must occur from the care or custody of a parent or legal guardian without permission. When these conditions are present, law enforcement can request the alert system to be activated and notify the appropriate participants.

This is why the best choice is the one describing a child under 14 abducted from the care or custody of a parent or legal guardian without permission. It aligns exactly with the statutory criteria designed for family-custody abductions and enables rapid dissemination to those who monitor and respond to such cases.

The other options don’t fit the criteria: the first involves an older-than-18 child, which isn’t covered; the second isn’t an abduction; and the third lacks the crucial relationship element (parent or legal guardian) that the statute requires for activation.