Columbia County legislator proposes alerts for missing people with intellectual disabilities
A Columbia County legislator wants the state to create a system to alert the public when someone like the boy with autism who drowned last weekend goes missing.
State Rep. Robert Leadbeter, R-Columbia, said the Purple Alert system would resemble Amber alerts for abducted children and Silver alerts for missing older adults, but would focus on missing people with cognitive, intellectual or developmental disabilities.
The alerts, posted on electronic road signs, texts and other platforms, ask people to look out for abducted children or missing adults.
Leadbeter said he will propose Aiden’s Law creating Purple alerts soon because of the death of 7-year-old Aiden Ha.
Who was Aiden Ha?
Ha wandered away from his Scott Twp. home about 9:20 a.m. Saturday. Police, firefighters and volunteers searched for him and posted about his disappearance on social media. He was found drowned in the Susquehanna River about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, only half a mile south of his home.
“Absolutely heartbreaking. Totally tragic,” Leadbeter said. “The search that was underway, starting on Saturday with the community, really brought to light not only the commitment and the dedication from local law enforcement, but also shined a light on the tools that they have available to them.”
Other states have Purple Alerts
He said constituents told him Pennsylvania doesn’t have a Purple Alert system. Only five states do — Florida, Maryland, Kansas, Mississippi and Connecticut, according to California attorney Kevin Urbatsch, a lawyer whose practice focuses on people with special needs.
“As a brother of a police officer, I want to make sure our first responders have as many tools as possible at their disposal when navigating circumstances like this,” Leadbeter said. “The intent is to immediately get that information out as quickly as possible to as many people as possible.”
Leadbeter expects his bill will have bipartisan support and should pass quickly.
