Call for tougher laws to protect children
According to a lawmaker, the tragic death of 4-year-old Everett boy Ariel Garcia could have been avoided if not for a recent change in legislation. This change has made it easier for parents with drug abuse issues to retain custody of their children.
Ariel Garcia, a 4-year-old boy from Everett, might still be alive today if it weren’t for a recent change in legislation that has made it easier for parents with drug abuse problems to retain custody of their children. This is according to a concerned lawmaker who believes that this tragic death could have been prevented.
Representative Travis Couture, a member of District 35, expressed his disappointment regarding the failure of legislation introduced this session that aimed to enhance the safety of children. Despite the noble intentions, most of these measures were unable to secure passage.
Republican Representative Travis Couture is of the belief that more robust child protection laws could have potentially made a difference in Ariel’s case.
Couture, a representative from the 35th District, expressed her concern over the tragic case of little Ariel, where he was brutally murdered and discarded on the side of I-5 like worthless trash. She emphasized the importance of valuing every life and ensuring that such incidents do not occur again.
Couture believes that the issue began in 2021 with the passing of the Keeping Families Together Act, also known as House Bill 1227. This legislation aimed to address racial injustice and promote family unity by making it tougher for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) to remove minors from homes where parents are struggling with addiction. Under the new law, caseworkers can only intervene if the child is in immediate danger of physical harm.
In the last session, Couture introduced a bill that proposed a rebuttable presumption. The bill aimed to classify hard drug abuse as imminent harm, giving parents the opportunity to respond in court.
He mentioned that removing children from those perilous situations would have been more manageable.
Instead, he criticized lawmakers for passing a bill that he believed was “watered-down” and only focused on addressing fentanyl.
According to the individual, the bill solely focused on fentanyl and did not address any other drugs.
According to Couture, his bill could have potentially facilitated an intervention in the case of Jordan Sorensen, a Port Townsend resident who confessed to concealing his infant’s body in the bushes in January.
A Washington father who was accused of hiding his infant’s dead body in some bushes has had the charges against him dropped.
According to Couture, if no changes are made, the number of children like Ariel who die could continue to increase.
Couture explained that if a bill like mine had been implemented, the mother, who had a history with CPS and drug use, could have potentially prevented the tragic death.
He is actively working on legislation to strengthen child protection laws and intends to pre-file it before the next session, possibly in December.
More on Ariel Garcia’s case
Why an AMBER Alert wasn’t issued for the missing boy found dead in Everett.
The tragic case of the missing boy in Everett has raised questions about why an AMBER Alert was not issued to help locate him. The AMBER Alert system is designed to quickly notify the public when a child is believed to be in immediate danger of serious harm or death. However, specific criteria must be met before an AMBER Alert can be issued.
In this particular case, it appears that the criteria for an AMBER Alert were not met. The system requires certain conditions to be present, such as confirmation that an abduction has taken place, sufficient descriptive information about the child and abductor, and a belief that the child is in imminent danger. Unfortunately, it seems that these conditions were not met in this instance.
It is important to note that the decision to issue an AMBER Alert is not taken lightly. Law enforcement agencies carefully evaluate the circumstances of each case and follow the established guidelines to determine whether an alert should be issued. This ensures that the system is used effectively and that the public is not inundated with unnecessary alerts.
While it is heartbreaking that an AMBER Alert was not issued in this case, it is crucial to remember that the system has been successful in locating and rescuing many missing children over the years. The AMBER Alert system relies on the cooperation and assistance of the public, who play a crucial role in reporting any relevant information to law enforcement.
In the wake of this tragedy, it is important to reflect on the effectiveness of the AMBER Alert system and consider potential improvements that can be made to prevent similar situations in the future. The goal is always to ensure the safety and well-being of our children and to do everything possible to bring them home safely.
Everett Police have successfully located the body of a 4-year-old boy who had been reported missing.
