The tragic story of a 9-year-old boy with autism who drowned after running away from a children’s home has led to a new missing child alert in Kentucky. The “lan Alert,” named after Ian Sousis who died in 2022, is designed to help quickly and safely recover missing autistic children through a notification system comparable to the AMBER Alert. Children with autism are drawn to water and face drowning as the leading cause of death. The new alert will cover gaps between other alerts and use the same system as the AMBER Alert. Kentucky Emergency Management has been developing policies for implementation after Governor Andy Beshear signed the alert into law. “This is another tool in the toolbox,” said Lieutenant Phillip Ridgell of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department.