When I discovered that my son's face, name, and tragedy were included in a deck of Missouri cold case playing cards distributed to inmates in state prisons, my heart sank. As his mother, I was never notified, consulted, or asked for my consent. The pain of losing a child is a burden that no parent should have to bear, but to see his story used in such a manner, without my knowledge or permission, is truly devastating.

The Missouri Department of Corrections, the State's Attorney General's Office, and the FBI initiated the creation of these decks, aiming to generate leads on unsolved homicides. Their intention may be noble, but the execution is flawed and insensitive to the families affected. The indiscriminate use of victims' stories without seeking permission or even notifying the families is not only disrespectful but also a violation of our rights as next of kin.

At the core of this issue is not just an oversight or a mistake; it is a fundamental lack of respect for the families who are left to pick up the pieces. According to the U.S. Department of Justice's guidelines, victims' families should be treated with dignity and compassion, which includes being informed and consulted in all stages of a criminal investigation and the dissemination of materials related to their loved ones.

The cold case playing card program aims to reduce the backlog of unsolved cases in Missouri, an initiative backed by statistics showing its effectiveness in other states. CBS News reported similar programs in Florida and Ohio led to breakthroughs in several cold cases. However, these states ensured communication and legal consent from the families involved.

I am calling upon the Missouri Department of Corrections, Attorney General's Office, and the FBI to pause the distribution of these cards until proper procedures are put in place. Families must be notified, consulted, and consent should be mandatory before their loved ones' faces are turned into court cards that circulate within a prison population.

To those in positions of power: reflect on the oversight and rectify this process. We demand dignity and respect be restored to grieving families by not merely viewing victims as case numbers but as beloved individuals with families that are still hurting.

I urge you all to support this petition for the sake of all families who have suffered the anguish of losing a loved one. We must ensure that transparency and respect guide initiatives aimed at solving cold cases. Please sign this petition to hold the proper authorities accountable and to demand a more compassionate approach moving forward.