Mother's 'Indigo Alert' petition for missing children with autism reaches 14,000 signatures

A Calgary mother's campaign to create a new emergency alert system for missing vulnerable children has surpassed 14,000 signatures in just days.

Jennifer Ball, whose young son is non-verbal and has autism, launched the petition after learning that Parker, an 11-year-old boy with similar challenges who went missing in northwest Calgary last week, did not immediately qualify for an Amber Alert. Parker wandered from his day home in Cambrian Heights on June 16. Because there was no suspicion of foul play or abduction, his case didn't meet the Amber Alert threshold — even though children with autism and communication disabilities face heightened risk if they wander away.

Ball is calling on the provincial government to create what she proposes naming an "Indigo Alert" — named for the colour associated with autism awareness. Law enforcement could deploy these alerts to report missing children with autism or other developmental disabilities that complicate search efforts, broadcast via television, radio, and highway signs.

According to Autism Canada, nearly half of children with autism are prone to wandering. "Children with autism who are non-verbal or have other developmental disabilities can easily wander away, yet without the immediate threat of abduction, these cases may not trigger an alert," Ball's petition states.

Parker was last seen in the Thorncliffe neighbourhood on the afternoon of July 16, and search efforts have continued into a second week. Ashley Erick, a resident of nearby Millarville, said the community response underscores why a specialized alert system matters. "It's important to keep up the citywide effort," she said. "Anything is possible."

The petition has spawned a dedicated website and is drawing support from residents across Calgary concerned about gaps in current emergency alert legislation.