Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Thursday 14 december 2017
A year after girl killed, Navajo Nation to get alert system

dent Russell Begaye said a highway, where he was
Wednesday that the new picked up and authorities
notification system will help were notified. The man
make life safer on the vast convicted of the crime —
reservation. Tom Begaye, no relation to
“We always pray that we Russell Begaye — was sen-
will never have another tenced in October to life
abduction, but we need in prison. After the abduc-
this in place so that the tion, Navajo officials began
whole nation can be alert working on getting federal
and help make sure that approvals and training for
a child is recovered safely an alert system. It then took
and quickly,” he said in a several months to acquire
statement. funding to purchase the
The tribe has relied on New software. Once the new
Mexico, Arizona and Utah system is installed, it will be
to activate Amber Alerts. managed by the Navajo
Before an alert is issued, of- Department of Emergency
ficers must go through a list Management. The tribe will
of requirements to establish be able to push alerts over
a case. If they meet the cri- radio, television and text
teria, they can start the pro- messaging to 11 counties
cess of asking the states to within the reservation’s bor-
This photo shows a portrait of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike, who was abducted and murdered in issue an Amber Alert. That ders. Ashlynne’s case drew
2016, on display inside the lobby of the Farmington Civic Center in Farmington, N.M. procedure was used dur- the attention of elected
(Jon Austria/The Daily Times via AP) ing Ashlynne’s abduction. officials, including U.S. Sen.
By SUSAN BRYAN The tribe, whose reserva- have sent information Ashlynne’s father, Gary John McCain, R-Arizona,
Associated Press tion is the largest in the about her via cellphone Mike, has sued the tribe, who sponsored legislation
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) U.S. and spans three west- messages and informa- claiming it failed to send to expand the Amber Alert
— More than a year after ern states, came under tion to the media did not the alert about his daugh- system in Native American
a Native American girl was fierce criticism in 2016 after go out until the day she ter in a timely manner. Pros- communities across the
killed and her tribe was 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike was found. The case raised ecutors have said Ashlynne nation. McCain has called
criticized for not having an was reported missing. She questions about gaps in and her younger brother the case devastating, say-
alert system in place when never made it home from communication and co- were lured into a van after ing that FBI data shows
children go missing, the her school bus stop and ordination between tribal the pair got off the bus and more than 7,500 Native
Navajo Nation has signed was found dead the next and local law enforce- started walking home. The American children have
a contract to purchase day, killed by a stranger ment. boy was left in the desert been listed as missing in the
the software it needed to who sexually assaulted her Navajo Nation Presi- and later found his way to U.S.q
get the notification system and struck her twice in the
running by the end of this head with a crowbar.
month. An Amber Alert that would

Lawyers move to keep death

penalty an option in slayings

DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) — and the slayings were
Prosecutors have moved committed during
to hold onto their ability commission of a felony and
to seek the death penalty drug felonies.
against two cousins in the Lawyers have said DiNardo
deaths of four men found acknowledged his part
buried on a Philadelphia- in the slayings and told
area farm, although authorities where to find the
attorneys have said a deal body of the fourth victim in
with one defendant would exchange for prosecutors
take capital punishment agreeing not to seek the
off the table. death penalty. District
The Bucks County Attorney Matt Weintraub
prosecutor’s office termed Wednesday’s filing
on Wednesday filed as “covering his bases”
notice of aggravating in case circumstances
circumstances in the change.
charges against Sean “We have to make sure we
Kratz and Cosmo DiNardo, have the right to proceed
both 20, in the slayings last in seeking the death
summer. penalty in case he reneges
Prosecutors said capital on his deal,” Weintraub
punishment would be said. “Whether he honors
justified because there his end of the agreement is
were multiple murders up to him.”q