CINCINNATI (WXIX) -The Ohio Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs, and Public Safety Committee voted Thursday to advance House Bill 359, the Joshua Alert, sending the legislation to the Senate Chamber floor, according to State Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-Cincinnati.
The bill would establish a statewide alert system to assist in locating missing children with autism. The system is designed to ensure faster response times and greater public awareness in emergencies.
“This unanimous vote is a powerful step forward in protecting some of our most vulnerable children,” said Rep. Thomas. “The Joshua Alert is about ensuring that when a child with autism goes missing, families are not left waiting and wondering. We are creating a system that responds with urgency, coordination, and care.”
The bill honors the memory of 6-year-old Joshua Al-Lateef Jr., a young boy with autism from West Chester who lost his life in November 2024.
Al-Lateef Jr. was reported missing on Nov. 20, 2024, and his body was found days later in a pond near an apartment building where he lived on Wyndtree Drive.
The boy’s family says that an Amber Alert was sent about five hours after his disappearance.
Joshua’s mother, Jonisa Cook, testified in support of the bill.
“Jonisa Cook has turned unimaginable loss into purpose,” added Rep. Thomas. “Her courage continues to move this legislation forward, and today’s vote brings us one step closer to making Joshua’s legacy a lifesaving reality for families across Ohio.”