May 21, 2013

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Focus on the Missing

Video will be available shortly.

The remains of Amber Harris were discovered one year ago in Hummel Park. Roy Ellis faces trial for the murder of the 12-year-old. While answers have surfaced in that case, questions still haunt the stories of other missing persons.

Amber Harris is one of the most recognizable persons in the metro. She was on TV, in papers and on the Internet as her parents and authorities tried to find her.

Jason Jolkowski's picture is still part of the Nebraska Missing Persons Information Clearing House. His mother, Kelly Jolkowski, was instrumental in getting Jason's Law passed two years ago.

Run by the state patrol, it's supposed to inform us of young people and adults that are missing but Kelly says law enforcement agencies are not using the system.

There are 144 missing persons on the Clearing House created by Jason's Law but many have no pictures accompanying them.

Kelly says, "You think, gee -- if I did see that person, I wouldn't know it because there's no photo."

She says Omaha Police and other jurisdictions list names and descriptions but often do not include a picture.

"How many people are five-foot seven with brown hair and brown eyes?" Kelly asks. How many? That's not helpful. You absolutely must have a photo."

When asked, Omaha Police issued this statement: "We take missing kids very seriously. We make an immediate broadcast, request a photo and enter information into our system. As far as Jason's Law, we forward the picture if the parents request it or if we feel there's a threat."

Kelly says most parents don't even know they can request that.

"How many people making that report know about this law? Probably about point zero-zero-one percent," she says.

Jason's law requires that the patrol's monthly bulletins include photographs if available.


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