Ohio residents will now receive “Joshua Alerts” when children with autism or other developmental disabilities go missing. House Bill 359, which establishes this new alert system, officially went into effect on September 17.

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The Joshua Alert system will distribute statewide notifications for missing children under 18 who have autism or another developmental disability. Law enforcement is now required to immediately notify the statewide emergency system upon verifying such a disappearance.

The legislation, sponsored by Representatives Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester), passed the Ohio Statehouse unanimously before being signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in June.

The alert system is named in memory of Joshua Al-Lateef, Jr., a 6-year-old boy from the Cincinnati area with autism who tragically drowned after going missing in 2024. His mother, Jonisa Cook, recounted that her nonverbal son did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert, which typically requires a reasonable belief of abduction.

Cook stated that while officers were compassionate, the existing tools were insufficient for responding quickly to children with neurodevelopmental differences. An IPAWS notification for Joshua Al-Lateef, Jr. was issued approximately five hours after he was reported missing.

House Bill 359 expands upon Ohio’s current statewide emergency alert program. A significant change is the elimination of the previous option for law enforcement to wait up to 24 hours before notifying the emergency alert system when a child with autism or a developmental disability goes missing. This 24-hour grace period still applies in other missing person circumstances.

The measure also clarifies that a “credible threat of immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death” includes situations where a missing individual is nonverbal, has limited communication ability, or lacks the capacity to seek help or ensure their own safety.

More than a dozen individuals, including law enforcement officer Kyle Erdeljac on behalf of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, testified in support of House Bill 359. Erdeljac emphasized that “time is critical” for children with autism who wander, noting they may not appreciate danger or be able to communicate effectively.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol manage the state’s missing persons alerts in coordination with local law enforcement. Unlike Amber Alerts, Joshua Alerts and other missing persons alerts in Ohio rely on opt-in notifications, public signage, and media distribution, rather than Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).

Ohio residents interested in receiving Joshua Alerts must sign up for text messages or emails via the Ohio Attorney General’s Office website.

Source: NBC4 Columbus — Original report

Wararka Af-Soomaaliga

Nidaamka ‘Joshua Alert’ oo Laga Hirgeliyay Ohio ee Carruurta Autism-ka Qaba ee Luntay

Columbus, Ohio – Dadka degan gobolka Ohio ayaa hadda heli doona ‘Joshua Alerts’ marka ay lumaan carruurta qaba autism-ka ama naafonimada kale ee korriinka. Sharcigan cusub, oo loo yaqaan House Bill 359, ayaa dhaqan galay Sebtembar 17-keedii, wuxuuna abuuraa nidaamka digniinta ee Joshua Alert.

Nidaamkan cusub ayaa baahin doona digniino heer gobol ah oo ku saabsan carruurta maqan ee da’doodu ka yar tahay 18 sano, kuwaas oo qaba autism-ka ama naafonimo kale oo korriin ah. Sharciga ayaa faraya hay’adaha sharci fulinta inay si degdeg ah ula socodsiiyaan nidaamka degdegga ah ee gobolka marka ay xaqiijiyaan in cunug noocaas ah uu lumay.

Sharcigan waxaa soo qoray Xildhibaan Cecil Thomas oo ka socda Cincinnati iyo Xildhibaan Jennifer Gross oo ka socota West Chester. Waxaa si wadajir ah loo ansixiyay Golaha Sharcidejinta ee Ohio (Ohio Statehouse) ka hor inta uusan Guddoomiye Mike DeWine saxiixin bishii Juun.

Nidaamka digniinta waxaa loogu magac daray Joshua Al-Lateef, Jr., oo ahaa wiil 6 jir ah oo ka yimid aagga Cincinnati, kaas oo qabay autism-ka, kuna dhintay biyo-mareen ka dib markii uu lumay sanadkii 2024. Hooyadiis, Jonisa Cook, ayaa sheegtay in wiilkeeda uusan hadli karin, isla markaana hay’adaha sharci fulinta ay u sheegeen in uusan buuxin shuruudaha Amber Alert, kaas oo u baahan in la aamino in cunug la afduubay.

Cook waxay xustay in inkastoo saraakiishu ay ahaayeen kuwo naxariis badan oo taageero leh, haddana qalabkii jiray kuma filnayn in si degdeg ah looga jawaabo marka ay lumaan carruurta leh kala duwanaanshaha neurodevelopmental. Digniin IPAWS ah oo ku saabsan Joshua Al-Lateef, Jr. ayaa la baahiyay qiyaastii shan saacadood ka dib markii la soo sheegay inuu lumay.

House Bill 359 wuxuu ballaariyay sharciga hadda jira ee barnaamijka digniinta degdegga ah ee gobolka Ohio. Isbeddel muhiim ah ayaa ah in la tirtiray ikhtiyaarkii hore ee hay’adaha sharci fulinta ay ku sugi jireen ilaa 24 saacadood ka hor inta aysan ogeysiin nidaamka digniinta degdegga ah marka uu lumo cunug qaba autism-ka ama naafonimo kale oo korriin ah. Muddadan 24-ka saac ah ayaa weli lagu dabaqayaa xaaladaha kale ee dadka maqan.

Sharcigu wuxuu sidoo kale caddeeyay in ‘khatar la aamini karo oo ah dhaawac halis ah oo degdeg ah ama dhimasho’ ay ku jiraan xaaladaha uu qofka maqan yahay mid aan hadli karin, leh awood xaddidan oo isgaarsiineed, ama aan awood u lahayn inuu caawimaad raadsado ama uu hubiyo badbaadadiisa.

In ka badan darsin qof ah, oo ay ku jiraan sarkaalka sharci fulinta Kyle Erdeljac oo u hadlayay Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, ayaa markhaati ka furay taageerada House Bill 359. Erdeljac wuxuu hoosta ka xariiqay in ‘waqtigu uu muhiim yahay’ marka ay lumaan carruurta qaba autism-ka, isagoo xusay in laga yaabo inaysan fahmin khatarta ama aysan si wax ku ool ah ula xiriiri karin.

Xafiiska Xeer Ilaaliyaha Guud ee Ohio iyo Ciidanka Ilaalada Waddooyinka Gobolka Ohio ayaa maamula dhammaan digniinaha dadka maqan ee gobolka, iyagoo la kaashanaya hay’adaha sharci fulinta ee deegaanka. Si ka duwan Amber Alerts, Joshua Alerts iyo digniinaha kale ee dadka maqan ee Ohio ma isticmaalaan Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) ee digniinaha taleefannada gacanta, laakiin waxay ku tiirsan yihiin ogeysiisyada la iska diiwaan geliyo, calaamadaha dadweynaha, iyo baahinta warbaahinta.

Dadka degan Ohio ee doonaya inay helaan Joshua Alerts waa inay iska diiwaan geliyaan fariimaha qoraalka ah ama iimayllada bogga internetka ee Xafiiska Xeer Ilaaliyaha Guud ee Ohio.

Xigasho: NBC4 Columbus