Indiana officials are weighing changes to the state’s missing-person alert system as pressure builds to expand when — and how — law enforcement can warn the public, following the disappearance and presumed death of 17-year-old Hailey Buzbee. The debate is forcing lawmakers, police, and national advocates to confront whether rules written decades ago still work in an era of online grooming, gaming platforms, and rapid digital communication.
Buzbee vanished from her home in Fishers, Indiana, in early January after meeting a man through online gaming, according to investigators. On Monday, authorities said she is presumed dead, and a 39-year-old man connected to her disappearance has been arrested in Ohio. No Amber Alert or Silver Alert was issued during the initial search, a decision that has since become central to calls for reform.
State leaders now say revisions to alert criteria are under active discussion. Governor Mike Braun confirmed he is working with Indiana State Police to explore additional options, while lawmakers at the Statehouse say legislative language could still be introduced this session to clarify how alerts are used.
“We’ve identified opportunities to put new language in the second half of the process,” House Speaker Todd Huston, a Republican representing District 37, said, adding that such changes could give police greater flexibility. Huston said he does not yet know which bill could carry those revisions.
A system built for another era
The Amber Alert system in Indiana operates under strict rules. Alerts may only be issued for missing people under 18 when police believe the child has been abducted, is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death, and when sufficient descriptive information about the victim and abduction is available.
In Buzbee’s case, Fishers police classified her as a runaway, saying she left home willingly. That designation meant she did not meet the criteria for either an Amber Alert or a Silver Alert.
Carolyn Alvey, president of Texas-based Aardvark Communications and a leader of the original task force that helped create the Amber Alert system in 1996, says those definitions no longer reflect how children are endangered today. Speaking to WRTV, Alvey noted that early Amber Alert rules required confirmation of abduction and solid evidence before activation.
“Technology was not where it is today,” she said, pointing to smartphones, gaming consoles, and online platforms that allow children to communicate with strangers worldwide from their homes. Alvey argues that law enforcement now needs more discretion to act earlier in cases like Buzbee’s.
Since Indiana adopted the Amber Alert system in 2003, authorities have requested its use 186 times, but the alert has been activated only 70 times, according to 2024 data from the Indiana Clearinghouse for Information on Missing Children and Missing Endangered Adults.
Advocacy turns grief into legislation
As pink ribbons appeared along streets in Fishers, advocates began pushing for concrete policy changes tied to Buzbee’s case. Megan Tomlinson, founder of the nonprofit Silver Lining of Hope, is working with Buzbee’s family on a proposal informally known as “Hailey’s Law.”
One idea under discussion is a new “Pink Alert,” intended for situations that fall outside existing Amber or Silver Alert criteria. Tomlinson said such an alert could fill gaps when a child is missing but authorities lack proof of abduction.
Alvey expressed understanding for the proposal but cautioned that adding a new alert category could take years. She noted that it took from 1996 until 2003 for Amber Alerts to be fully adopted nationwide. Instead, she favors revisiting and expanding existing criteria so police have more leeway without creating an entirely new system.
Advocates say the stakes are clear. “It’s a wake-up call,” Tomlinson said, arguing that Buzbee’s case shows how easily modern risks can fall outside outdated definitions.
Buzbee, a student at Hamilton Southeastern High School, left home after connecting with an older man online. Authorities say that detail — initially seen as evidence of a voluntary departure — ultimately masked the danger she was facing.
“It’s sad that it’s come to this,” Tomlinson said, “but Hailey’s life and legacy will be able to save a lot of people’s lives.”
For now, Indiana lawmakers and state police continue to examine whether the alert system designed nearly 30 years ago can be adapted to protect children navigating a far more connected — and dangerous — digital world.
