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Congress is considering a measure to help fund Amber Alert systems on reservations. The bill gained momentum after the kidnapping and murder of 11-year-old Ashlynn Mike on the Navajo Nation last year. While a swift response to stranger abductions is important, the problem of missing children in tribal communities is more complex. Our guests for this show all have different perspectives on the problem of Native children who go missing and how to respond.
Guests:
Janet Franson – founder of Lost and Missing in Indian Country. She’s a retired homicide investigator and she works cold cases for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office
Jim Walters – program administrator for the Amber Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program
Meskee Yatsayte (Navajo, Potawatomi and Mextica) – volunteer advocate
Break Music: Tapwe Oma (song) Fawn Wood (artist) Iskwewak (album)
The Montana Department of Justice says that all seven of Montana’s reservations can access the state’s Amber Alert system by calling the department and submitting the child’s information. If the case qualifies under the guidelines for issuance of an Amber Alert, the alert will be issued.
Information about the activities and studies of the Montana Legislature’s State Tribal Relations Committee can be found at http://leg.mt.gov/tribal