Luján Meets with Mother of Abducted Girl to Discuss AMBER Alert Improvements in Indian Country

[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) today met with Pamela Foster of Lower Fruitland, who was in Washington to take part in the National Missing Children’s Day ceremony. Foster is the mother of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, who was abducted near her house after school last year. Police later determined that the little girl had been sexually assault and brutally murdered near Shiprock after she was kidnapped.

Even though she was reported missing on May 2, 2016, an AMBER Alert wasn’t issued on her kidnapping until the following day.  In the aftermath of this horrific tragedy, Luján and other lawmakers have been working with the Navajo Nation to find ways to improve the AMBER Alert communications plan and system in Indian Country.

Luján recently joined Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and other Members of Congress in introducing a bipartisan Amber in Indian Country bill that would allow tribes to apply and compete for DOJ grants to develop and implement improved Amber communications plans.  The original legislation authorizing AMBER Alert did not include Indian Tribes.  It also did not consider or address the unique needs of Indian Country – including large rural areas, inconvenient training locations that require days of travel, and integration with state plans.  Luján and Biggs seek to remedy this problem through their legislation.

“Whether you live on tribal lands or in the biggest city, it’s important that law enforcement officials can quickly issue an emergency notification when a child abduction is first reported. Currently, the Navajo Nation must contact New Mexico State Police to issue an alert,” said Luján. “Navajo Nation leaders have told us they need independent access to the AMBER Alert system to effectively notify the community in such cases, and this legislation will help do just that.”

Luján noted that when a child goes missing, the first few hours are critical. While the threat of child abduction has not gone away, more than 800 children have been recovered through the use of AMBER and the efforts of local authorities, with more than 94 percent of missing children safely recovered.

“AMBER Alert saves lives when minutes are precious,” said Luján. “I can’t imagine the pain that a mother like Pamela Foster must live with every day. By coming here today to visit with me and other lawmakers, she is doing something very noble and important in honor of her daughter. And in the end, it will lead to a greater ability to find children no matter where they go missing.”