Louisiana Now Has Missing Child Law

A bill authored by Shreveport State Representative Barbara Norton is now law. It makes it a crime for a parent or guardian to fail to report a child missing or to fail to report the death of a child within a certain period of time. The new law spells out graduated penalties for failing to report a missing child as well as additional penalties if anything happens to the child. Caddo District Attorney Charles Scott says we all hope that parents and caretakers will do the right thing but we also know that this isn't always the case. Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator says it's a shame that we live in a time when such legislation is necessary.