DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – The Joshua Alert, a missing alert for children with autism and / or other developmental disabilities, went into effect statewide on Thursday.
This was after House Bill 359 was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine, which was sponsored by Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Rep. Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester).
The alert was named for Joshua Al-Lateef, who was a 6-year-old boy who lived with autism. In 2024, Al-Lateef went missing in West Chester. His mother called law enforcement and she was told there was no immediate alert which could be sent out to the community…