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Conway alert system helps find missing 5yo

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Faulkner County CodeRED

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missing

Updated: 10/04/2012 11:03 pm

Published: 10/04/2012 8:58 pm

CONWAY, AR – A missing 5-year-old girl is reunited with her parents within an hour of being reported missing, all because of the CodeRED Alert System.

Ava Osborne rides the bus to and from Ellen Smith Elementary School, but Wednesday she took a van to the Boys & Girls Club instead. When she didn’t get off the bus at home, her parents worried.

“You kind of prepare yourself for the worst,” says Brad Osborne, Ava’s dad.

After contacting the school and searching there, Conway Police got involved and sent out a CodeRED alert. CodeRED is an alert system that allows emergency personnel to notify the community about emergencies via phone calls or text messages.

“The whole entire time, all I kept doing is watching the sun. The closer it got to dark, that’s when you’re really going to worry,” says Brad.

The director at the Boys & Girls Club got the CodeRED alert message on her phone and realized she had 5-year-old Ava Osborne. Police say the alert worked exactly the way it is supposed to.

“We’re very happy it worked out the way it did. The information got out as soon as we had it and then thankfully someone at the Boys & Girls Club was observing and put 2 and 2 together,” said Officer Sean Canady, with the Conway Police Department.

Ava was reunited with her parent within an hour of disappearing.

“She has no idea, even now she doesn’t really understand,” says Brad. “She got a sticker from the police, she had a fun ride. As far as she was concerned, she was having a blast. Her first question was ‘Why is everyone crying?’”

Anyone can register for CodeRed for free to receive emergency notifications, weather warnings, and other important information when alerts are issued. It is free online to register.

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pat72209 - 10/5/2012 6:47 PM

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I HAVE TO SAY THIS AGAIN. ANY SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE THE LITTLE ONES OUT TO CATCH THEIR BUS AND MAKE SURE THEY GET ON IT. THEY USUALLY CARRY A LIST!!! THAT MISTAKE IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. Why didn't the driver wonder where she was when her STOP came up?

pat72209 - 10/5/2012 6:42 PM

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I drove a school bus for 7 years. UNLESS you have 30 OR MORE UNRULY KIDS GETTING ON THE BUS, I don't understand the driver not making sure a 5 year old gets on the bus AND where was she at HER STOP. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE DAMMMM SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE A SYSTEM WHEREBY THEY BRING THE LITTLE ONES OUT TO THE BUS AND MAKE DAMMM SURE THEY GET ON THE RIGHT BUS....A five year old child isn't slow just because they get lost in the crowd...someone probably pushed her towards that wrong bus. !!!!!

itsjustme - 10/5/2012 9:15 AM

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There are a lot of cities going with the CodeRed system. Its original design was specifically for sever weather, but it now has several different warning/alert capabilities. Ouijaswife mentioned the ap for CodeRed, which is pretty good. There is also an app called FBIchildid which is damn good. I'm glad this story had a positive ending. Kudos to the person at the boys/girls club.

TruthTeller - 10/5/2012 8:26 AM

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@Butch - You experience is VERY different from mine and several others. CPS has made it clear through their actions that care very little, if at all, about their students. By the way, another 5 year old student (who had special needs) was told by school officials to walk home last week (instead of waiting for his parents to pick him up like normal). He was located several hours later wandering the streets. I wouldn't trust CPS to take care of my dog, let alone my children.

ouijaswife - 10/5/2012 7:24 AM

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Like I said, I am happy with the code red alert and the reverse 911, the school and the PD were very helpful in her return! I am human, but I didn't only focus on the bad, I did give them their credit, and I understand people make mistakes, and there was no intention on the schools part to not be paying the proper attention. Things happen. But to say this is the FIRST mistake in 35 years, LOL. This is the THIRD time THIS SCHOOL YEAR already. ..

ouijaswife - 10/5/2012 7:23 AM

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Butch54 - 10/5/2012 6:13 AM

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2 of my three children attended Conway schools. My grandchildren old enough to go to school have too. Never a problem. I've lived here 35 years and this is the only time I can remember this happening. I'd say they have a outstanding record. Look at the action taken by all too return this child. One mistake in all the years I'm remembering isn't bad. I'd like to thank the city government, school board, teachers, bus drivers, and all involved in the care of our children and for the policies in place to protect them. I've only heard of one perfect thing in my life. I hope to be sitting with him in the future. When you deal with the human animal things like this happen. Thank you for your actions and the quick recovery of this child. Keep up the good work. Human element in this. Humans only remember or bring up bad results in these cases. They throw away the years of good service.

ouijaswife - 10/5/2012 1:16 AM

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while I recommend everyone sign up for the alerts, there is even an iphone ap for codered, I also want to remind them, it was NOT one hour, it was three. They did send out an alert, and it did help. However, making a story to promote how efficient the system is without recognizing what the flaws were in the first place seems a bit odd. The 20 minutes not accounted for when she was Already gone from the school, before it was even time for her to load her bus, is scary. The fact that NO ONE in Ellen Smith could positively say they even laid eyes on her after she was put in the cafeteria line, is appalling. I'm so glad she's safe. I've read reports of people saying how she was old enough to know better, or at five she must be slow to board the wrong bus... preposterous IMO. Yes teachers are underpaid, yes there are more kids than teachers, yes they have a hard job, but the lack of pay serving as an initiative to not know what is going on, is absurd. I was at the school immediately upon hearing as I've cared for her for years, I don't approve however of entirely how the situation was handled and the spin that was put on things for the media perspective... Let's just say, they are lucky it wasn't MY child this time......

ArkansasYankee - 10/4/2012 9:10 PM

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Fantastic! A happy ending for a change. And our tax dollars being used for something useful instead of being used on garbage; both human and otherwise.

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