Support Legislation for a Localized Alert for Missing Children [Athena Alert]

Athena Strand was kidnapped by a FedEx driver on November 30, 2022. Numerous law enforcement agencies joined in the search for Athena, including the Wise County Sheriff's Office, Texas DPS, and the FBI, as well as hundreds of community volunteers. Unfortunately, an AMBER Alert could not be sent until the next afternoon - not because law enforcement didn't want to, but because of the high threshold to send out the state-wide alert. Sadly, this was too late to save Athena's life.

The AMBER Alert is a powerful tool and it saves lives. Yet an AMBER Alert can only be sent out under Texas law after it has been confirmed that the child was abducted.

Unfortunately, there are many instances, like Athena's, when law enforcement wants to send out an alert because a child is missing, but can't because of the understandably high threshold required to send out a statewide alert.

Time is of the Essence When a Child is Missing

The struggle for law enforcement is that they know time is of the essence. In a 2009 FBI report, citing a study of 775 child abduction murders, 76 percent of child murders took place within three hours of the abduction. That number rose to 89 percent by the 24-hour mark. 

The Solution - A Localized Alert with a Lower Threshold

Maitlyn Gandy - the mother of Athena Strand - contacted State Rep. Lynn Stucky to develop what is now proposed for legislation, Texas House Bill 3556. The bill allows for a localized alert (within 100 miles and to bordering counties) to go out when the head of local law enforcement believes sending out a notice that a child is missing would be helpful - even when it is unknown whether the child has been abducted.