A system for tracking kidnapped adults is officially law.
President Donald Trump signed the Ashanti Act into law on Monday, according to WAVY. The law establishes a federal alert system for missing adults, similar to the Amber Alert, which helps authorities search for missing children. It will cover adults aged 18 to 65 years old.
The bill is named after 19-year-old Ashanti Billie, a Virginia woman who died in 2017 after she was kidnapped by Eric Brian Brown, a homeless man. The Navy vet was charged with her murder and faces the death penalty. An Amber alert was not issued for Billie because of her age, nor was a Silver alert, which is reserved for senior citizens.
Billie’s family released a statement expressing their gratitude for the law and said they believe it’s a way for their late daughter to “be a blessing to others."
“Through the passage of this law, there is the potential to help missing adults be reunited with their loved ones. Until the abduction of our beloved daughter Ashanti, we were unaware that there was no notification system in place for missing adults,” the family said.
The bill was initially introduced by Representative Scott Taylor (R-VA) in February 2018. Virginia Senator Mark Warner (D) sponsored the Senate version. The bill initially faced some criticism in the Senate, but was passed in December after revisions were made, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
Taylor tweeted his hope the law will help families in desperate circumstances.
#breaking Had an emotional conversation w/Brandi Billie, mother of Ashanti & spoke w/her father Meltony. Thank you @realDonaldTrump for signing #ashantialert into law on this NYE. Out of this dark tragedy, light & hope will come for families across country in 2019. @MarkWarner
pic.twitter.com/URsxPX49Eb— Scott Taylor (@Scotttaylorva) December 31, 2018
Warner released a statement with a similar sentiment.
"Despite the tragic loss of Ashanti Billie, with the love and support of Meltony and Brandy Billie along with the Hampton Roads community, the Ashanti Alert Act is now law of the land," Warner said in a press release. "In this New Year, it is my hope that this important law enforcement tool can help save countless lives."
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