When a child goes missing, every minute matters. Yet our current alert systems leave dangerous gaps.

La’Niyah “LaLa” Clark went missing, but an Amber Alert was not issued because there was no confirmed evidence of abduction at the time. Although she was a minor, deaf, and vulnerable with documented safety concerns including an active Protection From Abuse order, the statutory criteria for an Amber Alert were not met.

Tragically, La’Niyah was later found deceased only blocks from where she was last seen. Earlier public alerts could have increased awareness, generated tips, and heightened urgency during the critical early hours of her disappearance.

Her case exposes a systemic gap in child protection policy.

Under current law, Amber Alerts require specific evidence of abduction. However, many children are clearly endangered even when abduction cannot yet be confirmed. Children with disabilities, communication barriers, prior threats, custody disputes, active court orders, or documented safety risks may not meet narrow criteria, leaving law enforcement without a rapid public alert tool during the most time-sensitive window.

Data consistently shows that missing Black and Brown children receive less media coverage and slower public amplification compared to white children. Vulnerable youth from marginalized communities are statistically at greater risk of being overlooked, misclassified, or deprioritized. This disparity makes closing alert gaps even more urgent.

No family should have to wonder whether their child was “endangered enough” to qualify for public awareness.

LaLa’s Law proposes the creation of a Missing & Endangered Child Alert that would activate when:

• A minor is believed to be at credible risk of harm

• There are documented safety threats, protective orders, or prior criminal concerns

• The child has a disability or communication barrier increasing vulnerability

• Law enforcement determines immediate public awareness could aid recovery

This alert would not replace Amber Alerts. It would function as a complementary tool, closing the gap between “missing” and “confirmed abduction” so that vulnerable children receive rapid visibility when time matters most.

The goal is simple: ensure that no child falls through procedural gaps because their case does not meet a narrow definition.

We cannot undo what happened to La’Niyah.

But we can strengthen the system so no other family faces the same preventable silence.