Community members are hoping to create a Lenny Alert for missing autistic children. The alert would be named for Lenny Hatinda, a non-verbal five-year-old who drowned in a pool a tenth of a mile from his home on July 29. 2021. The alert would notify the public in a targeted area when an autistic child goes missing.
Law enforcement officials in Christian County, Missouri, and Fort Wayne and Allen Counties in Indiana are encouraging residents to use a new app to help find missing children. The Swift 911 app can be used to help notify the public while officers are working to determine if the case meets the criteria for effective issuance of an AMBER Alert.
Allen County Sheriff David Gladieux said he was not pleased about the time it took to approve and activate a recent AMBER Alert and thought the new system would help prevent any delays.
The app has been used in Christian County to find missing children as well as to notify the public about weather events, gas leaks, bomb threats and other emergencies. The app sends messages by text, email, social media and phone to users in a specific geographical area.
The social networking website Facebook is used by millions to connect people with friends. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Clinton, Indiana, Police Department are joining other law enforcement agencies that are using Facebook to help find and identify missing people. The Minnesota website includes crime prevention tips, agency updates, and solicits help on cold cases. The Clinton site posts AMBER Alerts, most wanted criminals, and mug shots.