The Alberta government has ordered a review of its Amber Alert system and the policies governing a Calgary day home after the death of 11-year-old Parker Wells, a boy with autism whose disappearance prompted a massive search before his body was found in an underground pipe system.
Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis announced the review Monday, saying the province wants to learn from the case. The assessment will examine the criteria required to issue an alert and will incorporate input from police, disability advocates and community organizations.
Timeline of the search
Wells vanished from a day home in north Calgary in late July. His disappearance triggered a two-week search involving hundreds of police officers and civilians who combed city blocks and played Disney music in an effort to locate him. On July 29, police confirmed his body had been discovered deep inside a pipe network beneath Deerfoot Trail in the city's north end.
An Amber Alert was issued two days after Wells was last seen. The province granted an exception to the usual criteria, which generally reserve alerts for cases where police believe a child has been abducted and faces imminent danger. The delay in issuing the alert has drawn scrutiny from advocates and the public.
Parallel police review
Calgary Police Service has also committed to reviewing its own response to the case. Ellis said the government's review will listen to law enforcement, disability advocates and community partners to understand how emergency alerts are functioning and what options should be considered for the future.
Based on reporting by Global News.