Calgary mother calls for 'indigo alerts' for missing autistic children after boy's disappearance

A Calgary mother is pushing for changes to Alberta's emergency alert system after a seven-year-old boy with autism went missing. Jennifer Ball wants a faster public notification for vulnerable children, even without evidence of abduction. She proposes an "indigo alert," referencing the color associated with autism awareness.

“

missing vulnerable children should trigger a faster public notification, even when there’s no evidence they have been abducted.

An Amber Alert was not issued for 11-year-old Parker, who has autism and is non-verbal, until two days after he disappeared from his Calgary dayhome on July 16. The Alberta government granted an exemption for the alert due to the case's circumstances.

“

I would call it an indigo alert, since the deep purple colour is associated with autism awareness.

Amanda Pick, CEO of the Missing Children Society of Canada, acknowledges the desire for broader alerts but cautions about potential "alert fatigue" if they become too common. She points to the Child Search Network, a police-run system that sends geographically targeted text alerts for high-risk missing child cases not meeting Amber Alert criteria.

“

the current Amber Alert system has a deliberately narrow purpose.

In response to inquiries, an Alberta government spokesperson stated that the alert system will be reviewed in the coming months to identify best practices and assess potential improvements. The review aims to ensure Albertans have the most effective tools for locating missing children and vulnerable individuals.

“

In the coming months, we will be reviewing the alert system to identify best practices used across the country and assess whether any improvements can be made, ensuring Albertans have the most effective tools possible to help bring missing children and vulnerable people home.