WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorial: "Caylee's Law"

Editorial: "Caylee's Law"

Posted: Updated:
By Collin Gaston - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

Those of us with children have all had moments of panic when we could not locate our kids only to find them a short time later at a friend's house.  What a relief that was.

It's was unimaginable watching the Casey Anthony trial where a mother waited 30 days before reporting her child missing or in this case dead – 30 days.

Bryan Taylor, State Senator from Prattville, AL, wants to prevent the same occurrence in Alabama from happening with proposed legislation dubbed "Caylee's Law." This bill was filed initially in July by State Representative Juandalynn Givan and would make it illegal for a parent or guardian to not report a child missing or worse yet – that a child  has died. 

For a number of reasons this is one of those common sense let's get it into law as soon as possible recommendations.  For one - consider the time and resources that will be saved on law enforcement investigation as the number of cases chasing empty leads would be reduced.  Not to mention the emotional toll on family and friends hoping a child is alive when in fact they are gone and somebody knows it.

We would support taking this legislation a step further and opening it up to all violent crimes.  If you report false information or withhold information in connection with a violent crime it's no longer a misdemeanor but now a felony.

I was once told if you "mess up – fess up" - this proposed law which we support should increase the odds of this happening.

We appreciate your feedback.

Copyright 2011 WSFA 12 News. All rights reserved.