COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than a year and a half after a 6-year-old boy drowned in a West Chester pond, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill aiming to prevent similar tragedies.
House Bill 359 will create a statewide emergency alert system to send emergency notices out when children who have autism or other developmental disabilities go missing.
Sponsored by state Reps. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), the bill names the emergency alert system the "Joshua Alert" in honor of Joshua Al-Lateef Jr., an autistic and nonverbal child who was reported missing from his West Chester apartment complex and later found in a nearby pond.
"This legislation ensures that when a child with autism or a developmental disability goes missing, every second counts. By mobilizing law enforcement, first responders and our communities faster, we can save lives and spare other families the heartbreak Joshua’s family endured," Gross said in a release after the bill unanimously passed the Ohio House.
WATCH: Learn more about how the Joshua Alert came to be
Joshua's mother, Jonisa Cook, advocated for the legislation after her son's death, telling us that the work "keeps pushing" her to do everything she can to help other families.
In addition to the legislation, Cook established the Joshua Al-Lateef Jr. Foundation, which works to connect families with supportive services for children with autism.
A similar emergency alert system exists in Kentucky, named the "Ian Alert" after 9-year-old Ian Sousis, whose body was found in the Ohio River after he was reported missing from the Northern Kentucky Children's Home in Covington.
