Turning The Idiot Box...

Carole Moore
Missing Persons Contributor
Officer.com

Into a very smart criminal justice tool. In 1981, John Walsh was like most American dads. He went to work each day, came home, mowed his grass and spent time with his wife and six-year-old son, Adam. On July 27th of that year, Adam, a moppet with a heart-breaking grin, disappeared and was later found brutally killed. His son’s murder led John and his wife, Rev, to look for ways to better serve the cause of justice and prevent other children from meeting the same fate. That is how America’s Most Wanted, a television show that has resulted in the arrest of more than 1,000 fugitives from justice, was created. The show has worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement agencies to bring attention to their cases and give financially-strapped departments the kind of public cooperation and help that agencies could previously only dream about. AMW has broken ground many times over and is a respected partner in the fight against crime. In addition to aiding in the apprehension of fugitives, the show’s long reach has also provided national exposure for missing persons. AMW maintains a searchable list of missing persons on its website. There is also a section for the subject most dear to Walsh’s heart: missing children. Here are links to both: http://www.amw.com/missing_children/http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/ AMW has taken vicious killers off the street and, undoubtedly saved many lives in the process. Take a look at the missing on the AMW site and see if you recognize any of them. Here’s one to keep an eye out for in your daily traffic stops and routine investigations. Please read Karla Casanova’s story and remember this child and her siblings. http://www.amw.com/missing_children/brief.cfm?id=55009