Wisconsin's new Missing Child Alert System meant to fill reporting gaps

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Department of Justice celebrated the official launch of the new Missing Children Alert System Thursday.

The alert was created after Governor Tony Evers signed the “Prince Act” - named after 5-year-old Prince McCree who was missing in Milwaukee and 10-year-old Lily Peters who was missing in Chippewa Falls.

“In both of these cases, an Amber Alert could not be issued because they did not fit the strict descriptive requirements of an Amber Alert,” Rep. Shelia Stubbs, D-Madison, said in a press conference Thursday. “As a consequence, the communities these two children belong to were under-informed and under-notified that their kids were in danger.”

The new alert expands the criteria for issuing alerts for missing people and expands the definition of a “person at risk” to include children.

The person at risk must be under 18-years-old and is believed to be incapable of returning home without assistance due to a physical or mental condition or disability.

Alternatively, the person is under 10-years-old, their location is unknown, and it’s within 72 hours of their disappearance. Their situation also shouldn’t qualify for another alert like an Amber Alert.

“I think it is any parent’s worst nightmare to have a child go missing,” Attorney General Josh Kaul said. “The anguish and the pain that any parent feels in that situation is enormous. And at the Department of Justice, we’re committed to doing everything we can to help bring missing kids home safely.”

The alert will be disseminated through the Wisconsin Crime Alert Network, and a wireless emergency alert will be sent to phones up to 5 miles away from the last known location between 8a.m. and 5p.m.

Information will also be visible on Wisconsin Lottery terminals throughout the state and on the DOT’s dynamic messaging boards.

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