A student with Down Syndrome was missing for more than 24 hours in the freezing cold in the City of Pittsburgh, surrounded by people, and no one saw her. This heartbreaking incident has exposed a significant gap in our current alert systems. We are urging Pennsylvania to implement a Purple Alert system specifically designed to locate children with disabilities who go missing.

Children with disabilities are particularly vulnerable when they go missing due to their unique needs and potential inability to communicate effectively. 

Children on the autism spectrum may exhibit behavioral characteristics threatening their safety, such as attraction to bodies of water, roadways/highways, trains, fire trucks, or traffic signals. Being non-speaking/non-verbal or unable to respond to searchers when their name is called, experiencing sensory/stimuli overload and bolting from their environment or heightened risk for exploitation because of their disability. Wandering, bolting or eloping is not uncommon in those diagnosed with Down syndrome, intellectual disability and ADHD, and is common in as many as half of those with autism spectrum disorders, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

A Purple Alert system would quickly disseminate information about these missing children to law enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the public at large. Similar systems have been implemented successfully elsewhere; for example, Texas has had an Amber Alert system since 2002, including alerts for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

By implementing this change, we can ensure that all children receive equal protection under the law regardless of their abilities or circumstances. Let's ensure no child is left out in the cold again - literally or figuratively - because we failed to provide adequate resources and attention.

Please sign this petition today to urge Pennsylvania lawmakers to implement a Purple Alert system immediately.