Alberta to review Amber Alert criteria and day home after death of Calgary boy
Amber Alerts are mainly reserved for when it's believe a child has been abducted and in danger, but the province granted an exception in Parker's case due to his vulnerable state.
The Alberta government is set to review its Amber Alert system and the policies of a Calgary day home following the tragic death of an 11-year-old boy with autism. Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis stated that the province aims to learn from the circumstances surrounding the loss of Parker Wells. The boy's disappearance from a northern Calgary day home led to a two-week search involving hundreds of police officers and civilians scouring city blocks and playing Disney music to locate him.
Police discovered Parker's body on July 29, deep within an underground pipe system below the Deerfoot Trail freeway in the city's north end. While Amber Alerts are typically reserved for cases where police believe a child has been abducted and is in serious danger, an exception was made in Parker's case due to the specific circumstances – the alert did not go out until two days after the boy was last seen.
The province will assess the criteria for issuing alerts, seeking input from police, disability advocates, and other community organizations. Calgary police will also review their response to the incident.
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