New proposed law would shorten window between children being reported missing, Amber Alerts - WPXI Pittsburgh

New proposed law would shorten window between children being reported missing, Amber Alerts

By Talia Kirkland, WPXI-TV

PITTSBURGH — A glaring alert appears on your phone, notifying you that a child has gone missing; the newly proposed “Nalani Rule” would immediately require police to issue this type of Amber Alert, decreasing the window between when the child was taken to when the public is notified.

That’s the change Nalani Johnson’s grandmother wants to see happen.

“I would like the chance to be heard,” said Taji Walsh.

Nalani Johnson was found dead in her car seat in Indiana County in 2019, three days after she was abducted.

Walsh said hours passed before an alert was issued, giving the suspect time to drive outside of the county and murder the girl.

“After the Amber Alert was issued, the suspect was caught within 11 minutes,” said Walsh.

Walsh now questions, “Why did it take so long, if the officer had everything that he needed?”

Nalani’s father had reported the abduction to police, immediately providing information like the name of his then-girlfriend, the make and model of the vehicle, and the direction she drove off in with the child.

According to state police, a list of specific criteria must be met before an alert is issued:

• The child must be under 18 years old and in imminent danger of death.
• A reliable witness must be able to provide a complete description of the child’s last whereabouts.
• The plan is limited to abductions, excluding runaways.

While Johnson met all the criteria, it took time to go through all those protocols.

“Maybe if an alert had gone out sooner, they could have got her before she got out of the county,” said state Rep. Tony DeLuca, who represents Penn Hills, where the child was taken from.

Last year, DeLuca introduced a bill known as “Nalani’s Rule,” which would allow the alert to go out almost immediately.

But Pennsylvania state police don’t support it, and since then it has sat in committee.

“They believe this bill would cause them more problems and wouldn’t be beneficial,” said DeLuca.

State police said that the current model has been successful and that expediting the time it would increase the number of alerts. Nalani’s grandmother said that’s not good enough.

“This is important to me, and I don’t think another child should have to die the way Nalini did,” said Walsh.

Despite not receiving state police support for the measure, DeLuca and Walsh said they will continue this fight, and try to rework the bill and present it again.

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