One State is Taking Aim at Missing Indigenous Persons

The tragic and horrific murder of 14-year-old Emily Pike, a San Carlos Apache girl, has led to a swift legislative response in Arizona. Pike was reported missing from her Mesa group home in January 2025, and her body was discovered on February 14 off the U.S. 60 northeast of Globe. Despite the gravity of the situation, no Amber Alert was issued, raising concerns about the system’s ability to respond effectively.

In the wake of this tragedy, Arizona lawmakers have passed House Bill 2281, creating the Turquoise Alert System in honor of Emily Pike. The bill, also known as Emily’s Law, aims to establish a swift, coordinated response to missing indigenous persons by allowing law enforcement agencies to request the activation of the state’s emergency alert system when a missing indigenous person is believed to be in danger.

“This bill is not just about responding to one incident,” said Senate Health and Human Services Committee Chair Carine Werner in a release. “It’s about ensuring that we have a system in place to prevent future tragedies and to provide immediate help in the safe recovery of missing Indigenous individuals.”

The Turquoise Alert System will allow law enforcement to activate emergency alerts for missing persons under specific circumstances, including when a person has gone missing under suspicious conditions or if they are believed to be in danger. The system will be particularly focused on indigenous communities, where individuals, especially young people, can be disproportionately at risk.

“This system is long overdue,” Werner continued in the release. “It’s designed to provide a quick and effective way to alert the public and activate local, state, and tribal resources to help find a missing person as quickly as possible. We hope that by passing this bill, we can help ensure that no other family experiences the grief that Emily’s family is going through right now.”

Nationally, people of color, particularly Black and Indigenous individuals, are often disproportionately affected by missing person cases that do not receive the same level of media attention or resources as others. According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), nearly 40% of all missing persons in the U.S. are people of color, despite making up a smaller percentage of the overall population. Missing Indigenous persons, in particular, face a distinct lack of attention, with many cases remaining unresolved due to underreporting and underfunding of resources.

“The Turquoise Alert system is a necessary step to address the gap in resources and response for missing Indigenous people,” Werner stated in the release. “We are committed to making sure that every missing person, regardless of their background, receives the attention and resources they deserve.”

The bill was passed unanimously by both the Arizona House and Senate and was transmitted to the Governor on May 7, 2025. Once signed into law, it will establish protocols for the immediate activation of alerts, aiming to reduce the time it takes to get critical information to the public and authorities.

Werner emphasized that while the Turquoise Alert System will be a vital tool, it is just one part of broader efforts to address safety concerns within Indigenous communities. “Emily’s Law is a crucial step forward in protecting vulnerable members of our communities,” she said in the release. “We must continue to work together to ensure that no child, regardless of background, is left without the protection they deserve.”

The new law is expected to provide faster responses to cases of missing indigenous persons, offering hope for better outcomes in future situations. However, Emily’s Law will not be in place until it is signed by the Governor. Once signed, Arizona will have taken a meaningful step toward ensuring the safety and well-being of its indigenous populations.