CINCINNATI — Nearly one year after a 6-year-old boy drowned in a West Chester pond , the Ohio House of Representatives passed legislation to prevent similar tragedies.

House Bill 359 , also known as the "Joshua Alert" bill, is named in memory of Joshua Al-Lateef Jr.

The legislation aims to create a statewide emergency alert system, the Joshua Alert, which would send emergency notices out to the community when children with autism and other developmental disabilities go missing. A similar system already exists in Kentucky, known as the Ian Alert .

If passed, once a child with a diagnosed developmental disability is verified as missing, law enforcement could immediately issue an alert through broadcast, digital and community channels.

Tragedy spurs bill to help missing Ohio kids wit

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