My son, Ray, has now been missing for over three years under suspicious circumstances, with ample indication that other juveniles could be involved in his disappearance. He is now 17 and under Washington State's current laws, a runaway at age 16 is considered an adult, making it less urgent to recover missing juveniles of this age and effectively tying the police's hands. Ray would never run away, especially without getting in touch with us, his loving family who are anxiously fighting for his safe return. 

The current Minor Protection Laws in Washington State encompass protecting minor suspects indicated in a crime. These laws require a lawyer to be present for an interview, a condition borne out of respect for juvenile rights yet inadvertently hampering the swift resolution of missing children's cases. This is because potential juvenile suspects can avoid interviews unless they have an attorney, posing a daunting roadblock in the investigation process. 

It is essential to remember that juvenile rights should align with the welfare of all children, including those missing. We urge for a review and amendment of these laws to strike the necessary balance that protects all our children. It could mean eliciting necessary information quicker, potentially saving lives, and bringing closure to families like ours. 

Your signature can help bring Ray home, and ensure that no other family has to undergo such an ordeal due to legislative blind spots.

We call upon the Washington State Legislature to take urgent action in amending existing Minor Protection Laws. Our aim is to improve the effectiveness and responsiveness of law enforcement agencies in addressing the critical issue of missing children while continuing to respect and protect the rights of minors.

Proposed Amendments:

Remove Requirement for Minors to Have an Attorney Present for Law Enforcement Interview: In missing children cases, law enforcement should not be required to have an attorney present to interview potential minor suspects involved with the missing child. In these cases, only require a parent/legal guardian, or court appointed special advocate (CASA) to be present if the minor being interviewed has been indicated to have knowledge about the missing child.

Clear Definitions and Prioritization Guidelines: Establish clear statutory definitions and protocols that distinctly separate cases of runaways from abductions, ie. if a child has no history of running away, and/or the child has not left any notice to the parent(s) of such intention. If unsuccessful contact attempts to the missing child has exceeded 24 hours, and/or the child is medically incapable of caring for themselves. If this criteria is met, the child is to be considered endangered instead of a runaway.  As well as equip law enforcement with the necessary training and guidelines to respond promptly and appropriately to all scenarios involving missing minors.

Amend Entry of Missing Children in Necessary Databases: Once a parent has notified law enforcement of a missing child and the case is established, the child should be immediately entered in the Missing Children Database, and Juvenile Runaway Database. The existing 30 day entry provision has shown to be highly ineffective, as law enforcement response time is of crucial importance to ensure a child’s safety. This should also include the collection of the child’s DNA as quickly as possible and expediting lab processing time.

Parental Consent Exceptions: Introduce legal provisions that allow rapid information gathering in cases when a child is reported missing and potentially in danger. The current standing within missing juvenile rights is to allow a child 16 years of age full guardianship over themselves. This needs to be revised as per the endangered circumstance(s) noted above, to age 18. The age the child went missing should be ultimately held to account.

Enhanced Data Sharing Protocols: Implement streamlined procedures for data sharing between law enforcement and pertinent entities like schools and healthcare providers. This will ensure timely access to crucial information during missing children investigations while safeguarding privacy in non-emergency situations.

Interagency Cooperation Agreements: Mandate agreements between federal, state, and local agencies to enhance communication and coordination through shared databases and consistent communication protocols for missing children/juveniles.

Review of Autonomy Rights: Reassess legal provisions regarding older minors' autonomy in missing children cases to enhance parental and law enforcement involvement when the missing child’s safety is uncertain or at risk. Especially when there is evidence of other minor involvement in the child going missing.

Development of Protections for Minor Witnesses: When a minor witness to the missing child has knowledge of dangerous gang involvement in the child missing, provide access to all protection resources to prevent retaliating offenses against witnesses/informants to help solve endangered missing children’s cases.

Public Awareness and Technology Tools: Develop and promote technology-driven solutions for efficiently reporting and managing missing children cases, ie. facial recognition software, and vehicle/license plate camera implementation for missing children.  As well as enhancing public awareness and alerts of missing children/juveniles, ie. notifying hospitals, clinics, emergency medical services, urgent care settings, and fire departments. Endangered minors need swift action to safeguard all of our community's children.

With these amendments, Washington State can lead the nation in balancing the protection of minors' rights with the need for effective law enforcement action in at risk situations.

We urge the Washington State Legislature to prioritize this matter and take action to protect our children with the utmost diligence and care.

Sign this petition to streamline juvenile justice and protect our children.