Okla. Senate Bill Aiming To Protect Missing Children Stalls In House

A Senate Bill that would have mandated law enforcement to report a missing child to OSBI and OHP within hours of their disappearance has stalled in the Oklahoma House.

Senator Roger Thompson authored the bill, and said politics is to blame.

“You want to play politics with our children, that’s the wrong message,” said Oklahoma Senator Roger Thompson.

OHP said they had been touting the importance of Senate bill 1002 and said it stood to benefit every single Oklahoman.

In January, an all-out search for missing Athena Brownfield, 4, got underway near Cyril.

“Just want her home,” said a Cyril resident.

“It’s been a couple of days with no sleep,” said another Cyril resident.

But despite countless man hours and thousands of volunteers, the search for Athena ended in heartbreak. Brownfield's small body was discovered in a shallow grave.

Senator Roger Thompson spoke at the child's funeral.

Her disappearance and death inspired Senate bill 1002.

“The most precious commodity we have in the state are our children,” said Thompson.

The bill would require law enforcement agencies to report a missing child to OHP and OSBI within six hours of their disappearance.

“Time is precious, every moment counts,” said Thompson.

And while the bill would not have changed the outcome of Athena's case.

“As we now know, she was already deceased,” said Thompson.

But in the case of another missing child state resources, if immediately deployed, could.

“Let’s get them in, let's find these kids as quickly as possible,” said Thompson.

Troopers said 10 to12 hours had passed before OHP learned of Athena's disappearance, and that it took several more hours to assemble their resources.

With the bill now stalled, Thompson hopes the powers that be do what's best for our smallest Oklahomans.

“It got held up for political reasons rather than policy reasons. I’m hoping it moves forward,” said Thompson.

While the bill is stalled, it could still be heard but not until the next legislative session.