Wisconsin
Senate approves changes to how Wisconsin reports missing children
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) –Lawmakers reached their first hurdle in trying to change how law enforcement notifies the public when a child goes missing.
On Tuesday, the Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan bill that would reform the state’s Amber Alert system to include more children who currently don’t meet certain criteria.
“This bill is a big deal,” said Sen. LaTonya Johnson (D-Milwaukee), who co-authored the bill after the tragic death of 5-year-old Prince McCree.”
In October of 2023, McCree was murdered in Milwaukee after being reported missing. Police tried to issue a critical missing alert, but McCree did not fit the Wisconsin Department of Justice guidelines.
Under current law, for an Amber Alert to be issued in Wisconsin, the child must be 17 years of age or younger, and there also must be a reasonable belief by law enforcement that the child was abducted, in danger, or police must have a description of a suspect or a vehicle.
The proposal would change that by expanding the criteria to include more missing persons under the age of 18 and alerting the public by pinging their cellphones if they’re in the area where someone was reported missing. “This bill unifies the entire state, and all missing children will have the same resources,” Johnson said.