Indian Country Web Article

Photo of woman and girl. Image of Pamela Foster with Ashlynne Mike. — *The author, Pamela Foster, with her daughter, Ashlynne Mike (2004-2016)*

November 13, 2025: Today we celebrate our beautiful Ashlynne on what would have been her 21st birthday. So many milestones have come and gone, and though we’ve marked each one, they’ve never felt complete without her.

Ashlynne was an achiever—bright, determined, and full of promise. I often find myself wondering what incredible things she would have accomplished by now. My sweet girl continues to grow in spirit, even if she can’t be here to share in all that life has brought since she left us.

Her favorite food was spaghetti, so today our family gathers to share a meal, to play her favorite music, and to celebrate the joy she brought into every life she touched. I imagine her energy dancing around us, light and free, mingling with laughter, song, and memory. I feel her with me in every butterfly, dragonfly, and hummingbird that crosses my path. She gave so much of herself to this world, and though unseen, she has never truly left us.

Ashlynne is our angel, always watching over us—a loving soul who knew only how to love others. When she left us so suddenly, our hearts broke open. But from that heartbreak came purpose. I have carried her spirit with me as I’ve worked to bring about change, to protect others as she would have done. I believe she guided us, pulling the strings from above, helping to pass a law—the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018—to protect our Indigenous children. I am endlessly proud of her. Not a day passes that I don’t tell her, “I love you.”

Today, as we remember Ashlynne, we’ll laugh and cry and laugh again, letting the tears fall where they need to. Her light continues to shine through us all—in love, in hope, and in every beautiful memory she left behind.

✨Happy heavenly 21st birthday, my sweet Ashlynne. You are forever loved, forever missed, and forever ours. 💖🦋

Pamela Foster

Implementing AMBER Alert plans in Indian Country plans comes with unique challenges: jurisdictional rights, infrastructure and resources limitations, crime reporting complexities, the need for cultural understanding, and multiagency collaboration.

AATTAP’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) initiative is a bridge meant to overcome such issues—and this subject is at the core of our ongoing series, “Voices from AMBER Alert in Indian Country.”

Watch our three new videos that feature insights from law enforcement leaders from across the nation: https://amberadvocate.org/aiic/aiic-home/. (Also read all the video’s process and goals: https://amberadvocate.org/issues/aa63-amber-alert-in-indian-country-in-focus-2/)

The compelling endeavor, filmed in New Mexico by the Indigenous-led film company Bravebird, focuses on “opening eyes, finding resources and forming lasting partnerships to ensure every person matters,” says Janell Rasmussen, Director of the National Criminal Justice Training Center and Administrator of the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP).
– Denise Gee Peacock

By Denise Gee Peacock

Our children are the heart of our communities—the keeper of our legacies. But sometimes the unthinkable happens. A child goes missing. And in those desperate moments, every second counts. So do AMBER Alerts.

Thus begins a new eight-minute AMBER Alert in Indian Country-focused video filmed in Santa Fe. It is the longest of three videos that focus on AMBER Alert being a lifeline—a rapid response system that mobilizes entire communities to help find missing and abducted quickly and safely.

In Indian Country, implementing AMBER Alert comes with unique challenges: jurisdictional rights, infrastructure and resources limitations, crime reporting complexities, and the need for cultural understanding and multiagency collaboration.

The AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) initiative—part of the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) of the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) of Fox Valley Technical College—is a bridge meant to overcome such issues.

“We all have a role to play in protecting our children,” says NCJTC Director and AATTAP Administrator Janell Rasmussen. “By working together, we can ensure that every community in Indian Country has the resources and support they need to implement AMBER Alert effectively.”

Feathers and smudging tool for blessing the event

A Pueblo of Pojoaque smudging ceremony took place to bless the occasion and its participants.

A member of the Bravebird film crew looks out at bison en route to Santa Fe.

Female photographer monitoring drone images

Pamela Foster holds a medallion necklace showing her and her daughter Ashlynne.

Sunrise over Santa Fe.

Pueblo of Pojoaque Police vehicle on the go during the filming

A member of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department answers a call for help.

Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department sign

Filming took place on the Pueblo of Pojoaque.

Four members of Tribal law enforcement greet each other in Santa Fe

Members of Tribal police departments from across the nation greeted each other on the first day of filming.

Pueblo of Pojoaque Nathan Baron shows satellite map during meeting

Detail of Chitimacha Tribal Police patch on uniform

Deputy Chief Taylor Patterson of the Miccosukee Tribal Police in Florida answers questions during filming of the new videos.

Photographer operating a drone for aerial views of setting

Director of Photography Ashley Siana operates a drone over the Santa Fe landscape.

Photographer getting shots of bison and terrain for video setting

Film crew looking at monitor of video work while checking sound

Film crew at work talking with Jada Breaux of Chitimacha Tribe

Chitimacha Tribal Police Captain Jada Breaux sits for questions during filming.

Video participants, members of the film crew and AMBER Alert in Indian Country team members enjoy some down time.

Group of participants who helped with new video series

Following completion of the video filming, all those involved gathered for a group photo.

The goal of the new video (one of three in total) and AIIC training, is to:

Cultivate awareness and build knowledge of available resources and support systems for Indian Country.
Encourage American Indian/ Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities to implement effective response plans.
Help Tribes understand the basics of the AMBER Alert system and evaluate their community’s preparedness.
Promote the relationship-building between AI/AN, state agencies, and law enforcement.
Emphasize the need for cultural awareness in handling missing/ abducted children cases.
Build agency among AI/AN communities to take proactive measures to safeguard their children—and their children’s children.

The AATTAP-AIIC team worked with two Indigenous filmmakers who form the heart of Bravebird, a company that regularly collaborates with the nationally respected marketing firm 6 AM. (See the sidebar “Telling Stories,” below.) Both firms are based in Wisconsin, and both “were perfect to work with based on their understanding of the sensitivity of this story,” says Tyesha M. Wood, Program Manager for AATTAP’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative.

“We wanted to bring together voices of child protection officials from Tribes across the nation—law enforcement leaders and others who could feel comfortable in expressing what their concerns are and how the AMBER Alert in Indian Country program has helped them. And how it can help others too,” Wood says.

The video was filmed on the Pueblo of Pojoaque reservation, known to have existed since 500 AD. The New Mexico Tribe played host to the video’s participants, who came from northern California, south Louisiana, northern Florida, and all points in between.

AIIC’s main champion in the video series is Pamela Foster, who figured prominently in the first video produced for the initiative after passage of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018. Foster is the mother of Ashlynne, who on May 2, 2016, was abducted—along with her brother Ian—and murdered in a remote area on the Navajo Nation. Ian managed to escape and run several miles to seek help. But while Ashlynne’s parents made frantic efforts to locate her, misunderstandings and jurisdictional hurdles on the reservation prevented an AMBER Alert from being issued until the next day, robbing authorities of critical hours in their search efforts.

“On that day, a part of me died, and life has never been the same,” Foster says. But it also propelled her to lobby forlegislative change that would prevent another Tribal family from experiencing what hers did.

“I made a promise to Ashlynne that I would do my part to fix the loophole that exists in the system,” Foster says. “I would fight with every fiber of my being to bring AMBER Alert to Indian Country.”

The video underscores the urgency of implementing AMBER Alerts through the lens of law enforcement professionals and others working on the front lines of protecting Tribal children.

“For far too long, an epidemic has been playing out in Indian Country as it relates to missing and murdered Indigenous children, adults, wives, relatives, brothers, and fathers. And it is a monster,” says Major Nathan Barton of the Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department.

In the video, Foster makes a direct appeal to Tribal leaders. “If you haven’t already received the AIIC training, please reach out. Thanks to Ashlynne’s law, we can work with you to establish an AMBER Alert plan,” she says. “What’s more, the training is free and accessible, and it’s adaptive to your needs. We just need more Tribal participation for this to be effective.”

After the process, Foster had this to reflect on: “Sitting with the Tribal leaders and law enforcement officials who participated in the shoot was heartening. I was happy to hear them talk about how vital it is to protect our children on and off the reservation, and they each came with a powerful message to share,” she says. “It was good to see that we are building a connection with one another, and others—and that we are committed to being supported and heard.”

ACTION ITEMS:

Learn more about how AMBER Alert can protect Tribal Visit AMBERAdvocate. org/AIIC or email [email protected] for more information.
Follow AMBER Alert in Indian Country courses online, including the comprehensive MCI-IC series.
Contact your local Tribal leaders to discuss the importance of having a response plan in place.

Photograph of five people involved in the film's production — *The Bravebird crew in Santa Fe: Director Alex Miranda (far left), Director of Photography Ashley Siana, Director of Photography James Kwan, Sound Engineer Michael Twombly, and Producer Tim Peters.*

The new video’s director, Alex Miranda, and producer, Tim Peters, are the principals of Bravebird, an Indigenous-led filmmaking group based in Wisconsin that specializes in telling the stories of Indian Country.

“For us, and our families and communities, it’s important to share our stories with care, authenticity, and dignity," Miranda says.

One aspect of their work that shines through: “The land. Mother Earth,” he says. “She helps us realize that stories such as Ashlynne’s will never be forgotten.”

Bravebird was enlisted by the 6 AM Marketing team, also based in Wisconsin, for the care the group takes with delicate subject matter.

“Aaron [Hughes] and Laura [Fernandez] at 6 AM made this very easy,” Miranda says. “Everything was well thought through. We’re so complementary in our skills with each other. That just creates a very holistic experience.”

The goal was to create an emotional hook, front and center, explains 6 AM Creative Director Hughes. “That really starts with Pamela Foster [Ashlynne’s mother]. That’s what puts everybody in their seats paying attention at the start of this because of her experience,” he says. “Everything about her makes you pay attention.”

Foster was appreciative of the care that Bravebird and 6 AM crews devoted to helping her talk through the worst thing in life she has ever experienced: Ashlynne’s abduction and murder.

Says 6 AM Account Manager Laura Fernandez, “We had to make sure from the beginning that we had a deep understanding of Pamela's story, the [AATTAP-AIIC] program and the issues surrounding it, and the importance of those we would be speaking to—to try not to create the narrative,” she says. “It was a weight of emotional importance unlike anything I've ever done.”

Hughes adds: “We all felt like we were assembling something that could profoundly alter the course of someone’s life,” Hughes says. “If one child’s life can be spared because an AMBER Alert is in place, think of the ripple effect that will have. What a tremendous gift to participate in something like that.”

By Denise Gee Peacock

May 5 is designated as the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP)/Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). The day serves as a national call to action to end violence against Indigenous communities and to support families and communities impacted by the MMIP/MMIWG crisis.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Justice in support of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian County Act, the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) initiative is committed to helping American Indian and Alaska Native Villages (AI/AN communities) combat the crisis by providing no-cost training, technology assistance, and numerous resources.

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Program Manager Tyesha Wood, and Project Coordinators Dave Chewiwie, Amy Hood-Schwindt, and Alica Murphy Wildcatt—are continually on the road meeting with federally recognized Tribes throughout the nation.

Their Indigenous heritage and law enforcement experience help them connect on multiple levels with AI/AN law enforcement and community leaders during AMBER Alert implementation meetings and child abduction tabletop exercises (CATEs). They also assist with specialized and/or customized training, partner outreach, and more.

“While our team proudly supports MMIP/MMIWG Awareness Day, our commitment extends beyond May 5,” says Program Manager Wood, a member of the Navajo Nation. “Every day we stand with the families of missing and murdered Indigenous people who are still seeking answers. We encourage everyone to listen and help people with cases that are unreported or under-investigated. Every voice matters—and every story deserves to be heard.”

*AIIC Project Coordinator Alica Murphy Wildcatt*

Behind every missing or murdered Indigenous relative “is a family waiting, a community grieving, and a life full of potential that deserves to be seen and protected,” says Wildcatt, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Much like her AIIC colleagues, “I see firsthand how our systems have the potential to fall short. Delayed responses, jurisdictional barriers, and a lack of urgency can put Native lives at risk. We can’t let our relatives become statistics. The MMIP/MMIWG movement matters because it is about justice, yes, but it’s also about love, dignity, and the right to be safe in our own homeland.”

*AIIC Project Coordinator Dave Chewiwie*

Children are precious in Native communities, but they also are vulnerable to “those who may be looking to abduct them, to exploit them,” says Project Coordinator Dave Chewiwie, a Pueblo of Isleta member. “We have to have effective programs and plans in place to safely recover them if they go missing. We are all stakeholders in the security of our children in Indian Country.”

Project Coordinator Hood-Schwindt, a Yavapai-Apache member, believes “an ongoing lack of thorough investigations into MMIP cases, combined with the impunity of perpetrators, has fueled a vicious cycle, one we need to break. We have to provide comprehensive investigations, meaningful prosecutions, and ensure there is justice for every stolen Indigenous life.”

*AIIC Project Coordinator Amy Hood-Schwindt*

While significant progress has been made in the last five years, much still needs to be done, Wood says. “We must work in unity, share resources and coordinate efforts, and carry hope that we will find, or find answers for, our missing and murdered Indigenous relatives.”

Wildcatt believes that “working together, we can confront this epidemic. We can invest in community-driven solutions, and build systems that ensure safety, accountability, and justice.”

The disproportionately high rate of violence experienced by Native American families is unacceptable. Through continued collaboration with American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes, we are dedicated to alleviating this crisis in a meaningful—and lasting—way.

JANELL RASMUSSEN Director, National Criminal Justice Training Center
Administrator, AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program/AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative

AIIC Associate Jen Murphy helped produce an award-winning short film that turns a lens on the MMIP/MMIW crisis.

Jen Murphy is a photographer, artist, member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe in Montana, an AATTAP-AIIC Associate, and one of the more prominent faces of MMIP/MMIW awareness work. The above photograph of her with a red handprint over her mouth—symbolizing the silencing of voices—spans billboards across the Great Plains “to bring attention to issues that need to be talked about,” Murphy says.

Central among those issues is the disproportionate rate of violence, abduction, and murder experienced by women and people in the U.S. and Canada.

Another way Murphy aims to turn people’s attention to the MMIP/MMIW crisis is through a new short film, for which she served as executive producer: “Not Afraid,” now streaming on Omeleto.

At just under 10 minutes, the film provides an intimate and powerful portrait of a young Native American woman navigating the grief of losing a loved one to the MMIW crisis. It captures both personal heartbreak and the deep resilience within Indigenous communities, and aims to be a stirring call to remembrance, justice, and healing.

Starring JaShaun St. John (“Songs My Brothers Taught Me”), the film offers a powerful, intimate look at a growing injustice impacting Indigenous families across North America.

“Not Afraid” was awarded the Indigenous Film and Culture Award from Windrider Film Showcase that runs with the Sundance Film Festival.

The film’s director, Michaela Bruce, says of Murphy—and their storytelling mission—“I feel on the deepest level that we have a responsibility to support vulnerable women through all means available to us, including the arts.”

“When we have the ability and resources to support an important work,” Murphy adds, “it is always the right thing to do.”

“The red hand over the mouth stands for all of our missing sisters who are not heard.”
JEN MURPHY
AMBER Alert in Indian Country Associate / artist and filmmaker

Indigenous people—especially women and girls—experience significantly higher rates of violence, murder, and being reported missing compared to other groups.

Find the latest statistics from the FBI here and view the National Criminal Justice Training center infographic (shown below right; click photo to enlarge).
Learn more about national MMIP/MMIWG efforts here and here.
Access the DOJ resource When a Loved One Goes Missing: Resources for Families of Missing American Indian and Alaska Native Adults (shown below left) here.

Alica Murphy Wildcatt, Pamela Foster (mother of Ashlynn Mike) and Pamela's sister, Darl Foster, at the 2025 Ashlynne Mike Memorial Run in Shiprock, NM

Alica Murphy Wildcatt with the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Program, stands with Navajo Nation President Buu Van Nygren, Joe Kistle of NCMEC, and Gary Mike, father of Ashlynne Mike, at the 2025 Memorial Run

Alica Murphy Wildcatt, Project Coordinator for AATTAP’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) initiative, participated in the Ashlynne Mike Memorial Mile Walk & Run held in Shiprock, New Mexico, on May 2.

The event drew 111 people—the largest number of participants to date. Attendees walked and/or ran in honor of Ashlynne—namesake of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which the AIIC initiative works to support.

The event also served to raise awareness of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls (MMIWG) National Day of Awareness May 5.

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯,” 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘵 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴. “𝘞𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯—𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴’ 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥.”

AIIC Training & Resources Highlighted in Nevada

AIIC Project Coordinator David Chewiwie attended the Newe Waipaipian Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) and Women (MMIW) Native Conference May 3–7 in Elko, Nevada. The conference drew numerous Indian Country Tribal leaders, Native advocates, law enforcement partners, and community members from throughout Nevada.

Chewiwie gave a presentation about the AIIC, and oversaw the information table for the National Criminal Justice Training Center/AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program/AIIC initiative, which provides a variety of free training, resources, and technological assistance to Native communities. (Learn more at here.)

“AMBER Alert in Indian country was very well received by conference organizers and attendees,” Chewiwie said. “We’ve already received an invitation to participate in next year's conference.”

A Gifted Moment
Knowing that Pamela Foster’s daughter, Ashlynne Mike, loved butterflies, NCJTC Director/AATTAP Administrator Janell Rasmussen presented Foster with a sterling silver necklace featuring a butterfly with Ashlynne’s name intricately cut into its wings. The necklace was crafted by AATTAP/AIIC Project Coordinator Alica Murphy Wildcatt, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. The moment brought Foster to tears. “I will treasure this,” she said. “Thank you for always remembering Ashlynne.”

Ashlynne Mike’s mother, Pamela Foster, center, is shown with U.S. Representative Andy Biggs and Janell Rasmussen, NCJTC Director/AATTAP Administrator. “Pamela is a tremendous voice—a tremendous advocate for children,” Biggs said.

By Denise Gee Peacock

Throughout the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium, Indian Country discussions primarily centered on the need for training, technology, and collaboration

One workshop led by the Phoenix-area Gila River Police Department (GRPD) focused on a child abduction case in 2024, which occurred shortly after the GRPD had its first AMBER Alert in Indian Country implementation meeting and child abduction tabletop exercise (CATE).

Thanks to the scenario-based primer, following the missing child report, the GRPD was immediately able to activate resources, connect with partnering law enforcement agencies, and coordinate the successful response.

Pamela Foster served as keynote speaker. Her daughter, Ashlynne Mike, was abducted and murdered on the Navajo Nation reservation in 2016. In introducing Foster to attendees, Congressman Biggs said, “Not long after arriving in D.C., I met with her and learned of her tragedy. We decided to work together and try to turn her loss into something positive, something that addressed the specific needs of Tribal communities.”

Working with Foster, and U.S. Senator John McCain of Arizona, Biggs helped champion passage of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, which provides training and tools for Tribes to best respond if a child goes missing. Find an excerpt of Foster’s message to attendees here.

Pamela Foster’s powerful presentation is excerpted here.

You are all advocates, protectors, and innovators. And we are here to work on behalf of two beautiful little girls who tragically lost their lives: my daughter, 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, and 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, namesake of the AMBER Alert program.

In the wake of my daughter’s abduction and murder in 2016, I found out that our Navajo Nation, and other Tribes across the country, did not have the most recognized public safety tool, the AMBER Alert—the cornerstone of communication to protect our children. Thus, the resources needed to quickly search for Ashlynne were unavailable. That was tragic.

Statistics show that Indian country experiences a disproportionately high rate of violent crime. That should cause an overwhelming amount of concern.

We are accountable to our communities to find solutions to improve public safety. This is why I lobbied for passage of Ashlynne’s Law [the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act], which helps provide training and tools for Tribes to quickly respond should a child go missing.

We need law enforcement on Tribal land to share information with outside agencies so they can quickly apprehend criminals. Every child has the right to feel safe and live life to its fullest, and my fight is based on what I have experienced as a mother and a parent. I don’t ever want what happened to me to happen to another person.

Indian Country needs AMBER Alert.

By Denise Gee Peacock

The 2025 National AMBER Alert and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium, held February 25-26 in Washington, D.C., brought together nearly 200 state and regional AMBER Alert coordinators, missing person clearinghouse managers, Tribal leaders, and public safety officials from across the U.S. and its territories, including American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Presenters and speakers included more than two dozen subject matter experts in missing child investigations and rapid response teams, emergency alerting, law enforcement technology, and Tribal law enforcement. Special guests included four family survivors who shared their powerful stories—and lessons learned.

*U.S. Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona addresses attendees at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, D.C.*

Also there to address participants was Eileen Garry, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and U.S. Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona’s 5th Congressional District and co-sponsor of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018.

The annual collaborative learning event is funded through the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs and administered by the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) and its AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) initiative, both affiliated with the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) of Fox Valley Technical College.

The symposium’s goal is to engage participants in discussing current issues, emerging technology, and best practices for recovering endangered missing and abducted children. Another objective is to improve the process of integration between state, regional, and rural communication plans with federally recognized Tribes from across the nation.

For the second year we enlisted the event management app Whova to help attendees plan their days, share their thoughts, and connect with each other. In keeping with that, we’ll let participants do most of the talking as we share event highlights.

This conference is a testament to the power
of collaboration. We’re here to bridge gaps,
share best practices, and innovate.
We’re here to hear the voices of those
who have experienced the unimaginable;
to honor their strength and resilience.

Janell Rasmussen

NCJTC Director / AATTAP Administrator

Never forget the difference you make in a child's
life. Ours is hard work, and sometimes gets us down.
But remember my family’s story. And never lose your
passion for keeping children safe.

Sayeh Rivazfar

Abduction survivor/law enforcement veteran/keynote speaker

AMBER Alert and Ashlynne’s Law
both save lives. Thank you for ensuring
your communities are prepared to
respond to every parent’s worst nightmare.

Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs (Fifth U.S. District)

U.S. Representative Andy Biggs

Arizona's 5th Congressional District

I will continue to push forward and spread
awareness, particularly about Indian Country,
hoping that one day jurisdiction and sovereignty
will not play a role in the search for a child.
And that every Tribe will have a plan
in place if an AMBER Alert ever
has to be activated.

Jada Breaux

Captain, Chitimacha Tribal Police Department, Louisiana

Sayeh [Rivazfar] is an incredible mother, an incredible warrior. Hearing her story was captivating, humbling, and gut-wrenching. As a mother of two young boys, I found her story beyond impactful. It provided a tangible sense of just how urgent it was to return home and continue the work.

Kelsey Commisso

Alerts Coordinator, Arizona Department of Public Safety

AMBER Alerts: To Activate or Not Activate was my absolute favorite session. Since I’m new to my position, it really made me think!

Whytley Jones

AMBER Alert Coordinator, Louisiana State Police

I’d never heard of the ‘Baby in a Box’ case [involving Shannon Dedrick], and the ending surprised me. I loved hearing the investigative lessons learned from it.

Michael Garcia

Detective, Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii

Pasco County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office Captain Larry Kraus did an excellent job in explaining the application, effectiveness, and obstacles of OSINT. He is super-smart and relatable to those of us who may be tech-challenged.

John Graham

Investigator, Taylor County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office

Erika Hock did a great job of presenting the Charlotte Sena case. Her humility shown through, especially when sharing the searching mother’s criticisms [of their alerting process] … and how she’s looking to implement some of the mother’s suggestions.

Ana Flores

Senior Case Manager, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

SYMPOSIUM OVERVIEW
The symposium featured 28 presentations and workshops on relevant and pressing topics within child protection—each meant to deepen attendees’ understanding of current challenges and solutions. Click here to see the full agenda and here to read the speakers’ bios.

FAMILY PERSPECTIVES

Pamela Foster: Keynote speaker (parental/ AMBER Alert in Indian Country focus)
Sayeh Rivazfar: Keynote speaker (abduction survivor/law enforcement focus)
Noelle Hunter: Presenter (international parental child abduction focus)
Desiree Young: Presenter (parental focus)

INVESTIGATIONS / RESOURCES

AMBER Alert Coordination: Essential Resources
Missing Persons Clearinghouse Managers
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Updates
Search Methods in Tribal Communities
Tribal Response to Missing Children
U.S. Marshals Service Support for Missing Children

CASE STUDIES

“Baby in a Box” (Shannon Dedrick / Florida)
CART Response to Child Sex Trafficking (New Jersey)
Charlotte Sena Campground Abduction (New York)
Gila River Indian Community (Arizona)

ALERTING / TECHNOLOGY

AMBER Alerts: To Activate or Not Activate?
FirstNet Authority Updates & Resources (Indian Country)
IPAWS Emergency Communications Updates
Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Analysis

CHILD ABDUCTION RESPONSE TEAMS (CARTs)

Pasco County, Florida
State of New Jersey

Bill Boldin, U.S. Marshals Service, 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium

Bill Boldin, Senior Inspector/National Missing Child Program Coordinator for the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), talks with attendees about how the USMS is helping find missing children.

Eileen Garry, Acting Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention, OJJDP, at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium

Eileen Garry, Acting Administrator for the DOJ's Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention, thanks symposium participants for their child protection work.

Janell Rasmussen at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

AATTAP Administrator/NCJTC Director Janell Rasmussen welcomes 2025 Symposium participants.

Pamela Foster, mother of Ashlynne Mike, gets a hug from U.S. Congressman Andy Biggs of Arizona at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

Pamela Foster shares a hug with U.S. Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona's 5th Congressional District.

Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs, walks with Pamela Foster (mother of Ashlynne Mike), and Janell Rasmussen, NCJTC Director/AATTAP Administrator at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

From left: Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs (5th District), AMBER Alert in Indian Country advocate Pamela Foster, and AATTAP Administrator/NCJTC Director Janell Rasmussen.

Ashlynne Mike, Pamela Foster, necklace, Alica Murphy Wildcatt, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians

Knowing that Pamela Foster's daughter, Ashlynne Mike, loved butterflies, AATTAP Administrator/NCJTC Director Janell Rasmussen presented Foster with a meaningful gift. The sterling silver necklace features a butterfly with the name “Ashlynne Mike” intricately cut into its wings. The necklace was crafted by AATTAP-AIIC Project Coordinator Alica Murphy Wildcatt, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Sayeh Rivazfar, Ahmad Rivazfar, The AMBER Advocate

Sayeh Rivazfar is shown with her father on the cover of The AMBER Advocate. Numerous participants were moved to share their contact information with her—and their support.

Sayeh Rivazfar, Randy Mitchell, Santa Rosa County Florida Sheriff's Office, at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

Sayeh Rivazfar stands with a career shadowbox bequeathed to her by Florida Sheriff's Deputy Randy Mitchell. Mitchell had worked to see justice served after Sayeh was brutally assaulted and her sister, Sara, was murdered by a family friend in 1988. Mitchell was proud of Sayeh's decision to go into law enforcement.

Sayeh Rivazfar's Punky Brewster tennis shoes on evidence bag

Sayeh Rivazfar brought the blue and pink Punky Brewster tennis shoes she had on when she and her younger sister, Sara, were abducted and brutally assaulted in 1988. Sara did not survive.

Sayeh Rivazfar and unidentified female at the 2025 National AMBER Alert and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium, Washington, DC

Symposium participants lined up to thank childhood assault/abduction survivor Sayeh Rivazfar—who also is a law enforcement veteran—for her moving keynote presentation.

Derek VanLuchene at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

AATTAP Child Abduction Response Team (CART) Manager Derek VanLuchene visits with attendees before the IPAWS/emergency alerting workshop.

Dr. Noelle Hunter, Jenniffer Price-Lehmann, international parental child abduction, IPCA, Muna

AATTAP Deputy Administrator Jenniffer Price-Lehmann, left, introduces Dr. Noelle Hunter before her powerful presentation on international parental child abduction (IPCA). Hunter's 4-year-old daughter, "Muna," was illegally taken by her non-custodial father to West Africa. She ultimately was able to return home, but only after a "full court press" by Hunter and others to make that happen.

Riley Borges, William "Billy" Oku, Hawaii

Hawaii detectives Riley Borges and William "Billy" Oku share a friendly "mahalo" during a break.

Jenniffer Price-Lehmann, Brittni Farmakes, Yesenia "Jesi" Leon-Baron, Jill Nysse

Dyana Chase with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (seated center) before discussing the "Baby in a Box" case at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

"Finding Shannon [Dedrick] renewed our sense of hope that a child could be found alive—even after five days of searching," said Dyana Chase (center), Special Agent/CART Supervisor, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

Bill Boldin, left, and Byron Fassett at the 2025 National AMBER Alert and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium, Washington, DC

Bill Boldin with the U.S. Marshals Service (left) talks with AATTAP Deputy Administrator Byron Fassett before the start of the symposium.

Desiree Young, mother of Kyron Horman, speaks to attendees at the 2025 National AMBER Alert and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

Desiree Young—mother of Kyron Horman, missing for nearly 15 years—expresses hope that she will learn more about her 14-year-old son's disappearance from his Oregon elementary school.

Bradley Russ with Eileen Garry at the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

NCJTC Executive Director Brad Russ with OJJDP Acting Administrator Eileen Garry.

Erika L. Hock of the New York State Police discussing the Charlotte Sena case during the 2025 National AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium in Washington, DC

New York State Police Senior Investigator Erika L. Hock presented a study of the Charlotte Sena abduction case.

FirstNet Authority, Jasper Bruner, Angel Benally, Tyesha M. Wood

From left: FirstNet Authority's Jasper Bruner and Angel Benally join AATTAP's AMBER Alert in Indian Country Manager Tyesha M. Wood before the FirstNet-focused presentation.

2025 AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium

Symposium-goers filled numerous meeting rooms during the 2025 learning event.

Retired New York State Police Investigator Sayeh Rivazfar holds up one of the Punky Brewster tennis shoes she was wearing during an assault on her at age 8—a crime that also took the life of her younger sister, Sara (seen with her in the top photo, on right).

Sayeh Rivazfar’s life was forever changed on September 22, 1988. That was when her mother’s boyfriend took her, then age 8, and her 6-year-old sister Sara, from their home in Pensacola, Florida, drove them to a remote area, brutally assaulted them, slashed their throats, and left them to die. Sayeh survived; her sister did not.

While living with her father and brother in Rochester, New York, Sayeh chose to join the New York State Police. She has since retired after two decades’ work, but her child protection work continues.

“I decided early on not to let trauma take me down. I use it as fuel to help others.”

Rivazfar displayed a shadow box that belonged to Santa Rosa County (Florida) Sheriff’s Deputy Randy Mitchell. When assigned to her case, the new father was outraged over the pain inflicted on her and her sister. He and Rivazfar kept in touch over the years. “He was proud of my law enforcement career,” she said.

Then, in 2012, shortly before he died of cancer, she received a package from him—his “career in a box,” including his badge and shield, along with a poignant letter. “It means the world to me, as he did.”

*Rivazfar with Randy Mitchell, who bequeathed her his “career in a box” (right).*

Dr. Noelle Hunter and her daughter "Muna" — *Dr. Noelle Hunter with her daughter “Muna”*

On New Year’s Day 2011, Dr. Noelle Hunter’s worst fear was realized: Her ex-husband had illegally taken their 4-year-old daughter to live in his home country of Mali, West Africa.

Thus began the college professor’s quest to have Maayimuna (“Muna”) returned to her—after nearly three years of “full-court press” work.

It’s now her mission to help others navigating the complex mire of international parental child abduction (IPCA).

As an AATTAP/NCJTC Associate, she also helps law enforcement understand how to best respond to IPCA cases. They also should understand this: “All abductions are local. The response a parent gets from that first call for help means everything.”

**Click here to learn more about Dr. Hunter’s story—and a poignant encounter she had with a Maryland State Trooper**.

Pamela Foster: ‘Indian Country Needs AMBER Alert’

Pamela Foster and her late daughter Ashlynne Mike — *Pamela Foster with daughter Ashlynne.*

Pamela Foster—the mother of Ashlynne Mike, namesake of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018—was introduced to Symposium attendees by U.S. Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona’s 5th Congressional District. Biggs worked with Foster, and Arizona Senator John McCain to ensure passage of “Ashlynne's Law” two years after her 11-year-old daughter’s abduction and murder on the Navajo Nation reservation in 2016.

The Act provides numerous resources to Indian Country to bolster Tribal knowledge, training, technology, and partner collaboration to ensure children who go missing from Native lands can be found quickly and safely.

“Those of you in Tribal law enforcement, if you haven’t already received training, please schedule it as soon as possible,” Foster said. “We need law enforcement on Tribal land to share information with outside agencies so they can quickly apprehend criminals. Every child has the right to feel safe and live life to its fullest, and my fight is based on what I have experienced as a mother and a parent. I don’t ever want what happened to me to happen to another person.”

Foster’s powerful presentation was a gift to all who experienced it. Then she was given a gift—which provided another moving moment.

Read about Pamela's message, and the gift in honor of Ashlynne, here.

❖ Marshal More Support

*U.S. Marshals Service Senior Inspector Bill Boldin (left) with AATTAP Deputy Administrator Byron Fassett*

“We’re good at hunting down fugitives. We’re now putting that toward finding missing children. It’s not something we’re known for. But we want to focus our efforts on kids with the highest likelihood of being victimized, of facing violence.” – Bill Boldin, Senior Inspector/National Missing Child Program Coordinator, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS)

Proven track record: From 2021 to 2024, 61% of missing child cases were resolved within seven days of USMS assistance.

❖ Model CARTs

Photo of Stacie Lick — **Leading by example:** Read more about retired Captain Stacie Lick's CART success.

“Mandates are pathways to support.” – Stacie Lick, Captain (Ret.), Gloucester County (New Jersey) Prosecutor’s Office

Having a dedicated, well-trained child abduction response team (CART) is essential to finding a missing child, using all available resources, when every minute counts. But symposium-goers know that building and sustaining a CART are significant obstacles for agencies with slim staffs and budgets.

The CART experts from New Jersey and Florida who shared advice at the symposium have spent nearly two decades overcoming those challenges by thinking creatively and strategically, such as getting buy-in for the expansion of New Jersey's CARTs after the high-profile Autumn Pasquale case in 2012. Or by having a well-thought-through staffing and resource plan, one that can be applied multi-jurisdictionally.

As a result of Captain Stacie Lick’s efforts to compile CART best practices for Gloucester County, New Jersey now mandates that all 21 of its counties have an active CART that follows standardized policies and procedures, and learns from mandatory after-action reporting. In 2008, as Lick was building Gloucester County’s CART, she was greatly inspired by the Pasco County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Missing Abducted Child (MAC) Team.

Each MAC deploys with a command post with a lead investigator assigned to it. It also has coordinators assigned to these critical tasks: leads management; neighborhood/business canvassing and roadblocks; sex offender canvassing; resources oversight; volunteer search management; search and rescue operations; logistics; public information and media relations; crime scene management; legal representation; analytics; and cybercrimes/technical support. A family liaison and victim advocate will also be on hand to provide valuable assistance.

MODEL MANUALS
Many of the best practices used by the New Jersey and Pasco County, Florida, CARTs can be found in two newly updated, downloadable CART resources—one on implementation and the other on certification—both produced by AATTAP.

❖ Maximize Messaging

Law enforcement technology consultant Eddie Bertola provided several updates related to the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) overseen by the Federal Emergency Management System (FEMA).

Illustration of FEMA's Message Design Dashboard advantages for IPAWS — *IPAWS’ new Message Design Dashboard provides templates to help law enforcement save time and ensure alerting consistency. It also offers message previews and testing.*

The IPAWS portal that law enforcement uses to request AMBER Alerts now has a more streamlined interface. And within that is the new Message Design Dashboard (MDD), “an intuitive structure taking message crafting from 15 minutes to five minutes,” Bertola said.

MDD features drop-down menus that provide access to essential information that can be provided in a consistent manner and allow best usage of the 360-character limit within varied templates. It also can check for typos and invalid links and allow for easier message previews and system testing.

In other messaging news, another development is the Missing and Endangered Person/MEP Code, which was discussed in both the IPAWS workshop and updates session hosted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Approved in August 2004, the addition of the MEP code to the Emergency Alert System (EAS) will enable law enforcement agencies to more rapidly and effectively issue alerts about missing and endangered persons by covering a wider range of ages and circumstances than AMBER Alerts alone. MEP alerts will utilize the same infrastructure as AMBER Alerts, thus allowing for widespread dissemination through various media channels.

❖ Intelligence Gathering

*Captain Larry Kraus* *of the Pasco County* *(Florida) Sheriff’s* *Office, Research* *& Analysis Division, led the OSINT discussion.*

Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) analysis is the leveraging of data from publicly available communication sources such as social media apps, messaging boards, gaming platforms, and the dark web. This research complements more traditional law enforcement databases (criminal databases, LInX, LeadsOnline) and can yield more real-time clues.

Bad actors are increasingly digital obsessed—and inadvertently work against themselves by taking photos and videos with geolocations and time stamps—while leaving other digital breadcrumbs.

OSINT analysts requires continuous training on ever-evolving information-sharing channels. They need to understand how to avoid gleaning intelligence that can be challenged in court (and potentially weaken public trust). All the while they have to battle data overload from the sheer volume of information that needs assessing.

It’s imperative that agencies hire professionals capable of navigating such complexities, Kraus said of intelligence analysts, whom he calls “the unsung heroes of law enforcement.”

FINDING LOST PERSON BEHAVIOR
“I can’t believe I didn’t know about the Lost Person Behavior resource,” one attendee said on Whova. Mentioned during Pasco County’s CART workshop, “LPB,” as its known for short, refers to the science- and data-based research of Dr. Robert J. Koester, whose field guide-style book outlines 41 missing persons categories and provides layers of behavior a person in each classification will likely follow.

❖ Welcoming U.S. Territories

Partners from American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico traveled numerous time zones to attend this year’s symposium. “They really appreciated getting to meet their counterparts in the States,” said Yesenia “Jesi” Leon-Baron, AATTAP Project Coordinator for International/Territorial Programs *(shown fourth from left)*.

❖ DNA: 'Give People Back Their Names'

In his “Genetic Genealogy” presentation, crime scene forensics expert Ed O’Carroll cited several ways to “give people back their names,” adding “crime is more solvable than ever before.”

• Look afield: Re-open a case involving a long-term missing person, or one with unidentified human remains, and let the growing realm of reputable DNA labs help solve a crime once thought unsolvable. “Our labs are overworked, so we need to find more ways to use private ones,” O’Carroll said.

• Be a “genetic witness”: Encourage people on the genealogy sites GEDmatch and AncestryDNA to opt in to giving law enforcement a broader field of DNA samples to consider when trying to pinpoint someone who may have committed a violent crime. “As many of us know, CODIS only gives a hit about half the time we use it.”

• “Prevent tomorrow’s victim by solving today’s case today,” O’Carroll said. Know the latest technology, including Rapid DNA, an FBI-approved process that can provide a scientific correlation in as little as 90 minutes.

❖ Decoding Alerting Decisions

911 illustration — **NEW COURSE OF ACTION:** AATTAP’s new course, 911 Telecommunicators and Missing & Abducted Children (aka “911 T-MAC”) is a must for public safety telecommunicators and members of law enforcement who face public calls for help. Look for online and in-person training opportunities here.

This was the second year for AATTAP Region 1 Liaison and alerting veteran Joan Collins to teach the popular class designed to help attendees analyze real-world cases of missing children and AMBER Alert requests, noting the key factors within the criteria that determine when an alert is issued; evaluate AMBER Alert effectiveness by comparing case details with activation criteria and assessing factors that influence decision-making; and propose improved response strategies.

Collins’ style is to amiably pepper participants with more than a dozen widely varying missing child scenarios, often throwing daunting updates into the mix. Participants responded using the Poll Everywhere app, which tabulated their responses in real-time on a large viewing screen.

“The alerting sessions instill confidence in new AMBER Alert Coordinators as well as seasoned ones,” Collins said. “The scenarios spark vigorous discussions, and networking with fellow AACs underscores the fact that they all go through the same process, even if criteria may differ.”

By Jody Garlock

Red Lake, Minnesota, set on the idyllic shores of one the state’s largest lakes, is typically a tranquil community. But on March 15, 2024, it bore witness to an unfathomable chain of events. The sirens of fire trucks and police cars echoed throughout the Red Lake Nation’s towering pine and birch trees as first responders raced toward a one-story home from which smoke was billowing.

Tragically, emergency responders found two young boys with knife wounds inside the house; both boys died. The area was a crime scene, and agents from the FBI and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) were among those who joined the investigation.

Red Lake Police authorities would also soon learn that a third child lived at the house. Three-year-old Ethan Stately, authorities realized, was missing and feared to be in danger, taken by his mother (who also was the mother of the two other boys).

Although the Red Lake Department of Public Safety had never before initiated an AMBER Alert, Department Director Kendall Kingbird Sr. and Lieutenant Geoff Pierre sensed how dire the situation was. “We had to get it solved and find our missing boy and mother,” Kingbird says. “And we needed to do that as soon as possible.” The AMBER Alert that followed would be the first one issued for any Minnesota Tribe.

Photos of Ricky Wuori and Janell Twardowski with the Minnesota BCA as well as the AMBER Alert poster for Ethan Stately. — “With this AMBER Alert, we hit all the components,” says Minnesota AMBER Alert Coordinator Janell Twardowski (right), who worked on the case with BCA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ricky Wuori (left) and others.

The case’s participating law enforcement agencies consider the collaboration a textbook example of an AMBER Alert response. From the beginning, state, Tribal, and federal partners coordinated efforts and shared information. The FBI immediately partnered with the Red Lake public safety department and BCA—responsible for issuing AMBER Alerts in Minnesota—and avoided communication silos to ensure resources were aligned and deployed. And the on-site presence of BCA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ricky Wuori, alongside FBI agents and Red Lake officers, facilitated rapid decision- making and an efficient, unified response.

The AMBER Alert itself solidly met all of the criteria. There was an abundance of information: the mother’s and child’s photos, a picture of the vehicle, the complete license plate number, and a distinctive Red Lake Nation tag. The alert also provided enough descriptive information to prompt a motorist who had seen the AMBER Alert to call authorities. “He spotted the vehicle, confirmed the license plate, and called 911,” says Janell Twardowski, AMBER Alert Coordinator (AAC) with the BCA’s Operations Center. “With any AMBER Alert, we’re relying on the public to respond, and that’s exactly what happened in this case.”

Less than two hours after the statewide AMBER Alert was issued around 9 p.m., authorities acting on the motorist’s tip pulled over the mother’s vehicle on a Minnesota highway. The toddler was safe inside, but showed signs of neglect. The mother, Jennifer Stately, was arrested and has since been federally charged with various counts of murder, arson, and child neglect. (An indictment alleges that Stately fatally stabbed one of her boys and slashed the other before setting the house on fire and fleeing with Ethan. She has filed an insanity defense.)

The Red Lake Nation, one of the state’s 11 federally recognized Tribes, has full sovereignty, subject only to the federal government. (It’s one of two Minnesota Tribes exempt from Public Law 280; therefore state courts/government have no jurisdiction.)

The fact that Kingbird and Pierre made the swift decision to initiate the department’s first-ever AMBER Alert stems in part from a trusted relationship with Wuori, who works out of the BCA’s regional office in Bemidji. “They have assisted us with a lot,” Kingbird says.

Wuori credits ongoing communication as key to building trust between agencies. “When you have a good relationship, it’s easier to get things moving,” he says. “It’s constant communication—stopping in and checking on everybody from time to time, not just when you need something.” Tribal investigators regularly meet with BCA agents, and BCA has held training specific to AMBER Alerts. Additionally, over the years, Minnesota’s Tribal communities have received ongoing training and support from the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) and its AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative, which are funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and supported by the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act.

As Minnesota’s AAC, Twardowski points to similar relationship-building needed to ensure an AMBER Alert reaches as many people as possible. She credits the state’s media with timely stories and the state’s transportation department with posting roadside alert messages. “As an agency, we are committed to leveraging our partnerships to reach as many Minnesotans as possible,” she says.

In the aftermath of the incident, an outpouring of emotion filled the Red Lake community. A walk of remembrance and candlelight vigil were held to honor the 5- and 6-year-old brothers who died. Yet despite the profound grief, displays of hope and strength emerged. “We’re a tight-knitcommunity,” Kingbird says. For him, the tragedy instilled confidence in the AMBER Alert process. “We couldn’t have asked for a quicker response and a better outcome,” he says. “We’re glad the child was located, and it wouldn’t have been possible without an AMBER Alert.”

Is there hope for the hundreds of missing and murdered Indigenous women? An article by Rachel Monroe in The New Yorker begs this question, and the answer may lie in the strength of other Indigenous women. Lela Mailman became an advocate for the voiceless after her 21-year-old daughter, Melanie James, vanished in 2014 in Farmington, New Mexico, a city bordering the Navajo Nation. Local police and media outlets seemed indifferent; Melanie’s name was misspelled in reports, and wasn’t entered in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) until three years later. Mailman sought strength in numbers, joining with mothers of other missing children at marches, protests, and prayer gatherings. The #MMIW social media movement traces back to 2012 when Canadian journalist Sheila North, a member of the Cree Nation, began using the hashtag to raise awareness and spark action in Canada and the United States. “North was particularly struck by how many cases went unsolved—evidence, to her, that society regarded Native women as essentially disposable,” Monroe notes. Melanie James’ case is one of more than 4,000 unsolved cases of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Natives, according to The Bureau of Indian Affairs. “Listening to Melanie’s family tell their story, I had the uneasy thought that justice in her case might not look like answers, arrests, and convictions but, instead, like subsequent missing persons cases being approached respectfully and rigorously the first time around.”

AATTAP Project Coordinator Derek VanLuchene and Pamela Foster show the quilt Foster made for Derek. — AATTAP Project Coordinator Derek VanLuchene and Symposium keynote speaker Pamela Foster show the art quilt Foster made for VanLuchene—and gave him during the Symposium. {Photo: AATTAP}

By Denise Gee Peacock

For those fortunate enough to witness it, one of the Symposium’s most moving moments came in the guise of a small package—one that guest speaker Pamela Foster quietly handed to AATTAP CART Project Coordinator Derek VanLuchene.

Both share a unique bond: Foster is the mother of Ashlynne Mike, who was abducted and murdered on the Navajo Nation in New Mexico when she was 11. And VanLuchene is the brother of Ryan VanLuchene, abducted at age 8 (in the presence of Derek, then 17) and later found murdered not far from his home in rural Montana. Like Ashlynne, Ryan was sexually assaulted before being killed. “The trauma of knowing that can be unbearable,” Foster says.

Foster and VanLuchene first met in 2019 at a Montana training conference with the Blackfeet Nation. “That’s when I heard his story,” she says. “I had no idea he and I were going through such similar emotions. And since then, our talks have given me such comfort.”

Around the time of their meeting, Foster was trying her hand at designing and sewing textile art.

“Quilting gave me an outlet to disappear from the world,” she says. “I started giving the quilts to others I’d befriended who were also going through grief.”

But she kept thinking of VanLuchene. What could she create for a former police officer “who’d pretty much seen it all—but also was a gentle soul,” a sibling-survivor of a violent crime? “I wanted to give him something from my heart—especially because he’s doing such good work to help others find missing children,” she says.

She pondered the possibilities until last fall, when she learned VanLuchene’s beloved dog, Herschel, had died.

“That’s when the image came to me. I worked up the courage to design a quilt showing Ryan and Herschel together.” Whenever she found time, she worked on the gift, but only finished it the night before leaving her Southern California home to fly to New Orleans.

Detail of art quilt made by Pamela Foster for Derek VanLuchene. It memorializes Derek's late brother, Ryan, and his dog, Herschel. — The quilt depicts Derek VanLuchene’s late dog, Herschel, watching over Derek’s late brother, Ryan VanLuchene, during a fishing outing. {Photo: AATTAP}

VanLuchene was deeply moved by the gesture. “What a special gift,” he says. “Herschel and I always shared a special connection. It was devastating when he passed this last October. In so many ways he was my comfort dog. So it gives me great peace to see him comforting my brother, Ryan, near the water, which they both loved.”

Derek VanLuchene has given the quilt pride of place in his home office. Pamela Foster is happy to know he will look at it often there. “I hope each time he sees it he’ll know just how much love it holds for him,” she says.

Photo of members of the Not Invisible Act Commission shown with Jolene Hardesty, far right. — After her appointment to the Not Invisible Act Commission (NIAC), Joelle Hardesty (far right) served with 35 people from across the nation to fulfill the NIAC’s goal to effectively address the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples’ (MMIP) crisis. Commission members received testimony from more than 250 surviving victims, families, and others.

Portrait of Joelle Hardesty, Missing Children’s Clearinghouse Analyst and Missing Persons Coordinator for the Michigan State Police. She served on the Not Invisible Act Commission. — When Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer appointed Hardesty to the NIAC in 2022, she praised her “extensive experience collaborating with local, state, and federal law enforcement to find and recover missing children.” Hardesty serves as Missing Children’s Clearinghouse Analyst and Missing Persons Coordinator for the Michigan State Police.

By Rebecca Sherman

Jolene Hardesty has faced challenges in her 20 years of public service—from her early days as a 911 sheriff’s office dispatcher to her current role as Missing Children’s Clearinghouse Analyst and Missing Persons Coordinator for the Michigan State Police.

And while she has helped rescue an estimated 600 children by providing analytical, resource, and training support to regional, state, federal, and Tribal law enforcement, she can now count another challenging assignment as a win: 15 months of service on the Not Invisible Act Commission.

For Hardesty, the experience was equal parts daunting, rewarding, and eye- opening. She worked with 35 others from across the nation to fulfill the Commission’s goals, as follows.

Identify, report, and respond to cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people (MMIP) and human trafficking.
Develop legislative and administrative changes to enlist federal programs, properties, and resources to help combat the crisis.
Track and report data on MMIP and human trafficking cases.
Consider issues related to the hiring and retention of law enforcement officers.
Coordinate Tribal, state, and federal resources to combat MMIP and human trafficking on Indian lands.
Increase information-sharing with Tribal governments on violent crimes investigations and criminal prosecutions on Indian lands.

The Commission held hearings across the nation, receiving heartbreaking yet critically important testimony from hundreds of victims, survivors, family members, family advocates, and members of law enforcement.

In the fall of 2023, Hardesty and her fellow Commissioners submitted their final report to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, and Congress.

With May designated as Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) Awareness Month (and May 5, National MMIP Day, also known as “Wear Red Day”) we talked with Hardesty about her work on the Not Invisible Act Commission—and what’s on the horizon.

Tell us a bit about your work on the Not Invisible Act Commission.
Each day was spent gearing up and prepping for meetings. I read a lot—federal statutes, statistical reports, and notes from other initiatives prior to the Not Invisible Act, such as Operation Lady Justice. Many weeks we met multiple times and brought in subject-matter experts to answer questions. I also gave in-person [congressional] testimony in D.C. as an expert on missing children, and traveled to Minnesota and Montana for public testimony. We were organized into subcommittees based on our experience. I was co-chair of Subcommittee Two, which focused on MMIP data. And on Subcommittee Four, we looked at coordinating resources, criminal jurisdiction, prosecution, and information sharing— for instance, understanding how the NCIC [National Crime Information Center] database is aggregated, and what shortfalls it presents.

How does the way data is collected present a problem?
In NCIC, there aren’t enough race categories—it’s either “Alaska Native” or “American Indian.” Beyond that, it’s also important to know if a person is a member of the Cherokee or Crow Nation, for instance, or maybe also affiliated with another Tribe. Grouping people into one category doesn’t serve justice when you are at the granular level of an investigation.

Why is the term “Indian” still used by government officials?
Growing up I was taught that term was offensive, but during my work for the Commission, I learned that when you’re speaking about Native American land, the legal term is “Indian Country.” Additionally, Alaskan Natives don’t like being called “Indian”—they live on Alaskan land. But if we explain why we need to use the term in certain circumstances, it goes a long way to show respect. I found that changed the entire conversation when talking with Native partners.

How have you built bridges of respect with your Native American partners?
By creating relationships. I reached out to our Mount Pleasant post in Michigan and the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe Police Chief and asked them to be experts on relationship matters. Michigan is home to 12 federally recognized Tribes and a few that are not. And in the state’s not-so-distant past, there were at least three state-funded Indian boarding schools, where Indigenous people were not allowed to speak their language, celebrate traditions, or practice their religion. Because of that, Native American law enforcement partners and citizens often associate non-Native [law enforcement/legal] personnel with trauma. It’s important to acknowledge that, to tell them you understand why they may not trust us. Relationships built on a foundation of mutual respect are critical. You’ve got to be able to have difficult conversations with one another honestly and openly, and still be able to respect each other. Accomplishing this is possible, but takes intentional work on both sides.

Tell us about the importance of cultural awareness and historical training.
Learning about the culture really helps. For example, when non-Native people get sick, they go to the doctor. But for Native peoples, it’s very different. [When going to] Indian Health Service care, a person is asked, “How much Indian are you, and what kind?” Some clinics only serve members of certain Tribes. All that matters before treatment. So that’s the kind of thing our Indian partners face on Indian land. Historical awareness is also important [to understand inherent conflicts between Tribes]. Many were warring Tribes for generations before [the U.S. government] put them on the same reservation and said, “Be happy.”

How have you approached the complexities involved in working with different Tribes?
Every Tribe needs its own voice to be heard, and this takes significant communication and collaboration. The best way to address our Tribal partners’ needs is to ask them. We should ask them not only “What do you need?” but also, “What can I help you with?”

As you reflect on your Commission work, what’s next for you?
My work on the Commission was some of the hardest I’ve done. It was frustrating at times, and I had a huge learning curve, but I feel like I’ve helped, and know I’ve made connections with some phenomenal people. And while I’m sad to see the Commission’s work come to an end, I look forward to the next goal: Implementing AMBER Alert in Indian Country. For many of us on the Commission, the focus will be to bring our Native American partners to the table as advisors, equals, and subject-matter experts. Together, we can really address their needs.

Members of the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program /AMBER Alert in Indian Country Initiative team recently presented Technology Toolkits to six Wisconsin Tribal Nations during a quarterly Native American Drug and Gang Initiative Task Force Advisory Board meeting at Oneida Indian Nation Police Headquarters in Oneida, Wisconsin.

Oneida Nation Police Lieutenant Justine Wheelock with a Technology Toolkit in Oneida, Wisconsin — Oneida Nation Police Lieutenant Justine Wheelock shows off her agency’s new Technology Toolkit in Wisconsin.

By Denise Gee Peacock

The AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) team recently provided Technology Toolkits to nearly two dozen Tribal nations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Each durable toolkit—containing a rugged laptop, webcam, digital camera, scanner, and hotspot device with six free months of WiFi—can help Tribes work more quickly and efficiently during missing child cases.

Funding for the toolkits, offered to any federally recognized Tribe, is provided by the U.S. Department of Justice and Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018.

In Wisconsin, the toolkits were provided during the quarterly Native American Drug and Gang Initiative Task Force Advisory Board meeting at the Oneida Nation Police headquarters in Oneida.

In Minnesota, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Holistic Health Spiritual Care CoordinatorGary Charwood blessed the event with a smudging ceremony. — In Minnesota, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Holistic Health Spiritual Care Coordinator Gary Charwood blessed the event with a **smudging** ceremony.

In Minnesota, the toolkits presentation occurred during a quarterly meeting with leaders from state Tribal law enforcement as well as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS).

The event was held at the Cedar Lakes Casino and Hotel, owned by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Law enforcement leaders from six federally recognized Tribes in Minnesota recently met with representatives from the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Initiative, as well as the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Department of Public Safety. — In Minnesota, law enforcement leaders from six federally recognized Tribes recently met with representatives from the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Initiative, as well as the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Department of Public Safety, to accept Technology Toolkits.

Photo of Chitimacha Tribal Police Chief Jada Breaux, right, with a happy young D.A.R.E. essay contest winner. — Chitimacha Tribal Police Chief Jada Breaux, *right,* beams with pride after giving a young member of her community a certificate for a winning D.A.R.E. essay.

By Rebecca Sherman

As the new Captain of the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department in south Louisiana, Jada Breaux’s days are often packed with administrative duties and supervisory obligations.

The work she’s most passionate about, however, is looking out for all those she calls “my children” on the Chitimacha Reservation. It gets her out from behind her desk to work with youth as an instructor for the D.A.R.E (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program.

This passion also keeps her training for any missing child case she may have to handle— and sometimes requires giving law enforcement colleagues in surrounding parishes a crash course in two words that tend to stop people in their tracks— “sovereignty” and “jurisdiction.”

“Many think Tribal sovereignty means working with outside law enforcement is not welcomed or encouraged. But even though we’re on sovereign land, we function just like everyone else—and know working with our regional and state colleagues is crucial,” Breaux says.

Confusion over the Tribe’s authority to issue AMBER Alerts or subpoena critical information can create life-threatening delays. Thankfully Breaux has a good working relationship with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, which can help her with such needs. But neither the Chitimacha, nor the state’s three other federally recognized Tribes, have Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in place to seamlessly engage with state law enforcement when time is of the essence—particularly when searching for Tribal missing children. Breaux aims to change that. “Without collaboration, nothing can be accomplished,” she says. We spoke more with her shortly after seeing her at the 2023 AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) and AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) Symposium in Arizona.

What challenges are unique to your job?
I started my law enforcement career at the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office before making the move to the Chitimacha Tribal Police Department 17 years ago. It was an entirely new world for me. One of the most unique challenges is understanding jurisdiction. You have to learn where [oversight] falls— be it Tribal, state, or federal. Currently Louisiana’s Tribes do not have active MOUs allowing us to directly initiate AMBER Alerts or request search warrants. And while I respect the system, it can be frustrating. For instance, in investigating one juvenile case, I submitted a search warrant to a social media company, and they replied that they were not able to honor it because they don’t recognize the Chitimacha Tribal Court as a legal entity. Before having to go through all the extra steps needed to issue that warrant, we fortunately were able to locate the child; but the situation was eye-opening. It would have cost us a lot of extra time, which is not on our side when children are missing. I would like to see this change.

What are some of the initiatives you’re working on to foster understanding?
One of the biggest challenges is the lack of awareness about Indian Country. I’m a firm believer in knowledge and education, so I’m working with AATTAP/AIIC Program Manager Tyesha Wood and Project Coordinator Valerie Bribiescas to bring training here this fall. We plan to invite all the Tribes in Louisiana and the law enforcement agencies with whom we work. We also want to host trainings on Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) investigations. We need to strengthen and sustain our public safety partnerships.

What motivates you to go into work? One of my motivations is the community I serve. While I’m not a member of the Tribe—my father’s mother was a member of the Choctaw Nation—everyone here has embraced me as one of their own. I have attended countless weddings and graduations, and watched a whole group of children become young adults and succeed as they chase their dreams. I’d like to think that I’ve had a small hand in that from being their D.A.R.E. instructor, or just the officer who hung out with them at school. I’ve had former students thank me years later for helping them make difficult choices by using tools from the D.A.R.E. program. There’s nothing more rewarding than being able provide resources to our children and watch them not only become productive members of our Tribe, but also of our society.

Ashlynne Mike’s legacy:
A law to help Tribal children—and law enforcement

Photo of Ashlynne Mike on a poster of loving messages to the girl, who was abducted and then murdered on the Navajo Nation in 2016. — A poignant tribute to Ashlynne Mike, whose tragic story broke hearts across the nation—and prompted Indian Country to embrace AMBER Alert training.

Chitimacha Tribal Police Captain Jada Breaux remembers the deep sense of loss she felt after hearing the news that Ashlynne Mike had been abducted and murdered on the Navajo Nation in 2016.

“But it was only after I heard Ashlynne’s mother, Pamela Foster, speak at the 17th annual National Indian Nations conference that I learned more about the heartbreaking story—and the jurisdictional confusion following Ashlynne’s abduction being reported.”

Like many Tribal leaders across the nation, Breaux realized that if communication weaknesses and jurisdictional misunderstandings could happen to the nation’s largest Tribe (spanning three states and 27,000 square miles) what did that portend for the 573 other federally recognized Tribes, which have much significantly fewer resources?

Born from this tragedy was the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018, created to foster greater collaboration between Tribes and their state and local law enforcement counterparts, and to strengthen resources. To accomplish this, the U.S. Department of Justice’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative helps Tribes learn what the law entails, and provides numerous no-cost resources, from training events to Technology Toolkits (“which we’ve already put to good use,” Breaux says).

“At the end of the day, everyone in law enforcement should have the same goal: to find a missing child as quickly as possible, using every available resource,” Breaux adds.

Nearly two dozen law enforcement leaders from six federally recognized Tribes in Minnesota recently met with representatives from the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program and AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative as well as the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Department of Public Safety.

By Denise Gee Peacock

The AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) team recently provided Technology Toolkits to six Tribal nations in Minnesota during a quarterly meeting with leaders from state Tribal law enforcement as well as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS).

The Technology Toolkits—durable cases with high-tech equipment to help Tribes act quickly when a child goes missing—were provided for free to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe; Lower Sioux Indian Community; Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe; Upper Sioux Community; and the White Earth Nation. Five other Minnesota Tribes also have received the Toolkits.

Toolkit distribution is administered by the AIIC—an initiative of the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP)—and funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018.

The May 4 regional meeting took place at the Cedar Lakes Casino and Hotel, which is owned by the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

Since the meeting was held just prior to the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls on May 5, special attention was paid to to the profoundly important issue during the half-day discussion.

“This is also an important week for another reason: May 2 marked the seventh anniversary of Ashlynne Mike’s murder on the Navajo Nation,” said AATTAP Administrator Janell Rasmussen.

“At the time of her abduction there wasn’t really an AMBER Alert plan in place, so her mother, Pamela Foster, fought very hard to see the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act become law. Tribes now have access to the AMBER Alert system through training, technology, and collaboration with state AMBER Alert Coordinators—all of which is central to the work we do.”

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Holistic Health Spiritual Care Coordinator Gary Charwood blessed the event with an eagle feather used to waft a cleansing smoke over each person. “We are relatives,” he said. “We all do the work to take care of one another.” — Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Holistic Health Spiritual Care Coordinator Gary Charwood blessed the event with a smudging ceremony, which involves using an eagle feather to waft a cleansing smoke over each participant. “We are relatives,” he said. “We all do the work to take care of one another.”

“Our children are our most precious commodity,” Minnesota BCA Superintendent Drew Evans told the group. “Our entire existence is literally to serve the people in this room.”

The meeting underscored these best practices:

The need for families or caregivers to quickly report a child missing, instead of trying to first find the youth on their own.
The importance of immediately entering a case involving a missing child into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database and to “never, ever take them out of the system until they are located,” said Minnesota DPS Tribal Liaison Jenna Lehti. “NCIC entries also help us keep up with much-needed data on Tribal missing.”
The importance of having current photo(s) for a missing poster or alert.
The careful wording of missing posters related to any health issue a child may have. “Instead of saying a child ‘suffers from’ a medical condition, for privacy reasons we recommend saying, ‘There is great concern for his safety,’ ” Lehti said.
Ongoing efforts to strengthen community trust in Tribal, state, and national law enforcement through greater cultural outreach and understanding.

“We’re always available to help Tribes with any guidance or resources,” said AATTAP/AIIC Project Coordinator Valerie Bribiescas, a former detective and member of the Navajo Nation.

By Denise Gee Peacock

At the close of the 2022 AMBER Alert and AMBER Alert in Indian Country Virtual Symposium, March 29-30, family survivor Amy Bloxom shared two unsettling details – ones that no doubt strengthened participants’ resolves to keep people from ever enduring what Amy’s family has. The day of her talk, March 30, marked 12 years since her 12-year-old son, Justin – “a very happy, trusting, innocent young man” – was lured by an adult male sex offender pretending to be a 15-year-old girl. Perversely, the killer called the fictitious teen “Amber.”

Bloxom, a native of Stonewall, Louisiana, detailed her family’s loss, search for justice, and ongoing advocacy work with gripping detail. “Every day I want Justin home with me. I miss that smile. I miss his goofiness. I miss the life we all had together,” she said.

AATTAP Administrator Janell Rasmussen later assured Amy that Justin would not be forgotten.

“Everyone with us today is committed to protecting children from crimes like the one your son experienced,” she said. “We want you to know we will work hard on behalf of Justin and the other children who are not here today to fight. His memory will live on in the work we all do to protect children.”

The powerful moment was one of many experienced by hundreds of symposium participants, AMBER Alert coordinators, missing persons clearinghouse managers, law enforcement officers, telecommunications personnel, Child Abduction Response Team (CART) members, emergency management and other child protection professionals from across the nation, including tribal nations and communities. The event focused on 30 topics, touched on more than a dozen cases, and offered hundreds of lessons and tips. The virtual symposium was delivered using the Whova platform with Zoom integration, allowing for a dynamic experience in which participants could log into the event in advance of the start date, share a welcome/ ice-breaker message and reply to others’ welcomes, view the full agenda, and create a custom agenda of sessions they wanted to attend (both plenary and concurrent tracks). They also could view presenters’ biographical information, contribute to polls and discussion board topics, and visit any session to view its recording on-demand for a two-week period following the event’s conclusion. The Zoom integration allowed a livestream of each session, complete with all of Zoom’s advanced interaction tools, such as chat, live polling, feedback indicators, and breakout rooms. Each session could be viewed within the Whova platform, affording participants the convenience of a single login for the event, where they could easily move from one presentation to another, be it live or live streamed.

“The pandemic continues to change the way in which we work. It has created both opportunities and obstacles, but it has not changed the fact that children go missing,” Rasmussen said. “They need us to remain committed in our work to provide law enforcement training and technical assistance to ensure they are safely recovered.”“You don’t have to look far to find examples of how your work and the AMBER Alert network is making a difference. At the start of 2022, more than 1,100 children had been safely recovered because of AMBER Alerts,” said Amy Solomon, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.

Attendees explored current obstacles encountered by their state, tribal, and regional emergency alerting programs, shared best practices, discussed innovative programs, resources, and tools to help support their work and make AMBER Alerts more effective.

Discussions focused on such topics as creating and sustaining Child Abduction Response Teams (CARTs); genetic genealogy; Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) strategies and advancements; must-know technology for combatting child sex trafficking; initiatives to reduce the alarming number of missing and murdered indigenous women and children; a program to equip Indian Country law enforcement agencies with new

DOJ-sponsored technology toolkits; how to effectively work with the media and interview high-risk endangered children; understanding disparities in media coverage related to missing and murdered children of color and white children; reviewing the latest findings from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC); and opportunities for AMBER Alert and child protection partner collaboration via regional breakout sessions.Rasmussen closed the symposium by thanking participants for their attendance and recognizing the AMBER Alert Symposium team, noting, “A symposium like this, especially a virtual one, does not happen without the planning, preparation, and work of a lot of people.” She also thanked “our partners at OJJDP, who have assisted us with the planning and approvals for this event. This would not be possible without their commitment to protecting children.”

Rasmussen then commended the symposium’s participants. “Your attendance was critical as we move forward with this program,” she said. “We value your input and suggestions as we continually look for ways to implement initiatives to help you address issues you face every day in the field.”

Thankfully, our CART procedures protected us when it came down to liability and accountability.

Stacie Lick, the Gloucester County Prosecutor/Child Abduction Response Team (CART) Supervisor

Lieutenant Stacie Lick

Gloucester County (New Jersey) Prosecutor’s Office

The Golden State Killer case involved more than $10 million over its 43 year-span; 15 law enforcement agencies, 650 detectives, and 200,000 personnel hours; more than 300 people having their DNA swabbed, and 8,000 subjects reviewed in CODIS – with zero hits. Yet thanks to genetic genealogy, it took $217 and five people to find the killer: Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. “That’s the real value of genetic genealogy – efficiency and a lack of privacy invasion.

Sergeant Eric Kovanda

Carlsbad (California) Police Department

There are more kids on TikTok right now than there are on the playground. That’s also where sex offenders and traffickers are going to recruit their victims. The good news is that the same technology used by predators can lead to their downfalls based on the evidence preserved, even if they think they’ve deleted it.

Blaine Phillips

Agent in Charge, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics

Children who experience “adultification” are looked upon as having made a choice — even if they were abducted, lured away, and/or exploited. Their cases are treated differently. They’re more likely to be disciplined and more vulnerable to discretionary authority. We’re not giving them support nor helping them utilize the resources they need. It gets even worse if they identify as LGBTQ+.

Tina Bigdeli

NCMEC Program Manager, Outreach

To serve and protect — that should include yourself. It used to be that we were expected to hold everything in, to keep it inside, shrug it off. Well, that doesn’t work.

Carol Brusca

SHIFT Wellness Therapist

The unidentified need was to give them their names back.

Carri Gordon

Washington State AMBER Alert Coordinator and Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager / AATTAP Region 5 Liaison

Native women on tribal lands are murdered at an extremely high rate – in some communities, more than 10 times the national average – according to research funded by the DOJ. And due to jurisdictional challenges, the disappearances can be hard to track and prosecute.

Ingrid Cumberlidge

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Coordinator, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska

After learning her son had been aggressively lured online by a stranger, “There’s a part of me that asks, ‘Justin, why didn’t you just think?’ But a detective told me, ‘Amy, he was 12 years old. You and I may see through manipulation, but he was too young to fully understand it.’”

Amy Bloxom

Mother of 12-year-old Justin Bloxom, abducted and murdered in 2012

We as a Native society make efforts to work through historical trauma by confronting it. We try to understandit and attempt to ease the pain of it. And we want to surpass the cycles of trauma to give our children better futures.

Valerie Bribiescas

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Liaison

Always thank the community for its support. They are the ultimate conduit to solving crimes.

Mark MacKizer

Special Agent (Retired), Federal Bureau of Investigation

We all have a role to play in protecting our children. By working together, we can ensure that every community in Indian Country has the resources and support they need to implement AMBER Alert effectively.

Although we are many nations, we are one in this commitment.

ACTION ITEMS:

Words like ‘sovereignty’ and ‘jurisdiction’ have almost become taboo. But any child who is missing should be the priority. It doesn’t matter where the resources are coming from. Let’s locate that child.

You don’t have to do it alone. Tribes across the U.S. are willing to share what works in getting AMBER Alert in Indian Country.

When missing children go silent, it’s a scream you cannot hear. Reach out to the AMBER Alert in Indian Country program nowto be prepared.

AMBER Alert is the safety net for our children in danger. It’s our job and our responsibility to fight for them and be their voice.

How can we protect our children? How can we ensure the best response is made when a child is missing or kidnapped?

When a child goes missing I can see the hurt in their family’s eyes. That empowers our team to work quickly, and diligently, on their behalf.

Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean it won’t. The wolf is at the door. And we need to help each other or we won’tsolve this problem.

Being fortunate doesn’t alleviate the responsibility of having a comprehensive plan for prevention and response in place.

'Telling Stories With Care, Authenticity & Dignity'

‘Not Afraid’

AIIC Associate Jen Murphy helped produce an award-winning short film that turns a lens on the MMIP/MMIW crisis.

Get the Facts About MMIP / MMIWG

Moved to Act: AIIC Team Participates in Ashlynne Mike, MMIWG Events

Walking the Walk for Ashlynne Mike & MMIP/MMIWG Awareness

AIIC Training & Resources Highlighted in Nevada

Janell Rasmussen

Sayeh Rivazfar

U.S. Representative Andy Biggs

Jada Breaux

Kelsey Commisso

Whytley Jones

Michael Garcia

John Graham

Ana Flores

Learning From Survivors: A Top Theme

'All Abductions Are Local'

Pamela Foster: ‘Indian Country Needs AMBER Alert’

From Resources to Technology: More Takeaways

Click each dropdown box below for highlights from top-rated workshops & events.

Ashlynne Mike’s legacy: A law to help Tribal children—and law enforcement

Lieutenant Stacie Lick

Sergeant Eric Kovanda

Blaine Phillips

Tina Bigdeli

Carol Brusca

Carri Gordon

Ingrid Cumberlidge

Amy Bloxom

Valerie Bribiescas

Mark MacKizer

Ashlynne Mike’s legacy:
A law to help Tribal children—and law enforcement