A bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Granger) would expand the use of Amber Alerts.
The HAILEY Act would let police issue Amber Alerts for anyone under 18 who they believe to be a high-risk missing person. Currently, they’re only for cases when an abduction can be confirmed and a child is believed to be in immediate danger.
The bill is named for 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee of Fishers. She went missing in January and was later found dead in Ohio. Investigators believe she was taken there by a man she met online. An AMBER alert was never issued because she was initially classified as a runaway.
Yakym’s press release says the current standard “continues to leave children vulnerable to online predators.”
State lawmakers have also taken action since Buzbee’s death – adding a “missing children” designation to the state’s Silver Alert system and putting new restrictions on social media.
