More than 60 British university students joined Australia’s Murdoch University and police agencies from 14 countries to work on six cold cases involving missing children and child homicides. The four-month effort was part of the third International Cold Case Analysis Project (ICCAP). The students’ findings led detectives to further investigate one of the cases; and last year, the project prompted investigators to exhume the body of “Gentleman John Doe” – helping identify an unknown man buried 30 years ago.
Golden Casket, part of Australia’s official lottery, donated AU$300,000 to an organization dedicated to help victims of crime and missing persons. The Daniel Marcombe Foundation helps victims but also offers child safety programs and events. The lottery also sends AMBER Alerts to more than 900 retail outlets in Queensland.
The Brisbane, Australia, City Council started a partnership with the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) to begin posting AMBER Alerts on outdoor signs. The digital signs will post the abducted child’s photo and other information within 30 minutes after an AMBER Alert is issued. “We hope the Brisbane Amber Alerts pilot program will inform how we can build a system to roll out Amber Alerts across Australia,” said Charmaine Moldrich, OMA CEO. The OMA is working with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the United States on the pilot program.
Golden Casket, the company overseeing some of Australia’s lotteries, has pledged $300,000 to an organization working to keep children safe. The Daniel Morcombe Foundation supports the country’s AMBER Alert programs, provides assistance to crime victims and supports families of missing persons.
The foundation was created in 2005 by Bruce and Denise Morcombe after their 13-year-old son Daniel was abducted in 2003. Golden Casket also broadcasts information about missing and abducted children at 900 outlets in Queensland. The latest donation is funded by unclaimed lottery money.
An Australian scholar is urging the government to create a public notification system similar to Silver Alerts used in the U.S. to help find lost people with dementia. Dr. Margie MacAndrew conducted a study about missing persons with dementia. “Wandering can result in potentially life-threatening outcomes such as malnutrition, increased risk of falls, injury, exhaustion, hypothermia, becoming lost, and death,” she said. “Rapid reporting within one hour of knowing a person is missing is also known to help search and rescue have a better chance of finding a person alive and well.”