Ohio House passes bill that would create new alert for missing kids with autism
COLUMBUS, Ohio —An Ohio bill aimed at creating a new alert for missing children who have autism passed the Ohio State House on Wednesday.
The bill honors Joshua Al-Lateef, a 6-year-old West Chester boy who drowned in a pond near his home last year after wandering away.
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Since Joshua’s death, his mother has been advocating for a new type of “missing child” alert that differs from an Amber Alert.
“He was here,” Joshua’s mom, Jonisa Cook, said. In my mind, he was here to help save the world, to help save other kids.”
The bill will now move to the Ohio State Senate, before it would go to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk for final passage.
Kentucky is the first state in the nation to have a similar alert.
The “Ian Alert” came from a tragedy, when Ian Sousis ran from the Northern Kentucky Children’s Home and drowned in the Ohio River three years ago.