Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed the Joshua Alert bill into law, creating a statewide emergency alert system for missing children with autism or developmental disabilities. The bill, named after a young boy with autism who was found unresponsive in 2024, aims to disseminate information faster in cases of missing children with special needs.
Background of the Bill
The Joshua Alert bill was sponsored by State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) in the Ohio House. The bill easily passed the Ohio Statehouse this year. Jonisa Cook, the mother of Joshua Al-Lateef, has been advocating for the alert system since her son’s death in 2024.
The alert will be issued immediately once an officer verifies that a child with autism or developmental disabilities is missing. Law enforcement will decide when to trigger the alarm, with the intent of spreading information quickly to help locate the missing child.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
