Wieckowski Authors Children's Bill

Local Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) is co-authoring a bill to introduce Caylee’s Law in California, a law that requires a faster response in reporting missing children cases.

The law would require parents and legal guardians to notify law enforcement within 24 hours about deaths or disappearances of children under 14 years old in California, according to a press release issued Friday.

Caylee’s Law was inspired by Caylee Anthony, a 2-year-old who disappeared in 2008 and was found dead six months after the last time she was seen alive.

Known as AB 1432, the bill would make it so that a parent or guardian is guilty of a felony “if they fail to notify law enforcement that a child has gone missing under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to believe the child is in danger of physical harm.”

The bill was introduced Friday by co-author and Assemblywoman Holly Mitchell (D-Culver City). On the same day, three other state Assembly members introduced their versions of Caylee's Law.

The bill by Assembly members Isadore Hall III (D-Los Angeles), Paul Cook (R-Yucaipa) and Cathleen Galgiani (D-Stockton) would make it a felony for a guardian to not report a missing child under the age of 12 to authorities within 48 hours.

“In this day and age, is it too much to ask a parent or guardian to notify police within 24 hours if a reasonable person would suspect a child has died as a result of a crime or has disappeared and is in danger of physical harm?” Wieckowski asked. “The answer is no. We must protect the children from the predators who would do them harm.”

Wieckowski, whose district includes portions of Milpitas, Fremont, Newark and Union City, said during a press conference Friday that the bill is a “reasonable response” to the recent trial of Casey Anthony.

He added that the introduction of the bill “is the first step of the legislative process, and legislators would take into account all of the concerns of parental rights supporters, crime victim advocates and law enforcement as the bill moves forward.”