Families make plea for missing persons bill - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

Kevin Rader/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis - Lawmakers took action on legislation designed to aid in the search of missing persons in the state. The House already passed out the bill and now it is the Senate's turn. The testimony was very emotional.

We have heard the names of the missing like Brookley Louks and Charles Rickey but Tuesday the Senate Homeland Security Committee heard what made these people special, and what made the search for the missing so frustrating.

The committee heard from Molly Datillo's cousin, Karen Joe Smith's stepmother, Wade Steffey's dad and Lola Catherine Fry's sister. But it was Niqui McCown's mother who really captured their spirit.

"Someone took something from me more valuable than gold. My baby," said Barbara McCown. "There are so many Niquis out there and no one seems to care but put yourself in my place. There is no way whether you pass this or not that you will forget Niqui. You will forget none of the Niquis that are out there. They are your family. Don't walk over them like they didn't exist. We want an answer. We demand an answer."

They want law enforcement to act quickly when it comes to missing person reports. The testimony showed the toll it can take on a family.

"I come before you hoping you will listen to all the Niquis out there who are crying out. They want to be heard. This old woman who has one wish and one wish only. Bring them home," McCown pleaded.

The Homeland Security committee can't do that, but it can aid in the search which it did by passing the bill out 9-0.

House Bill 1306

Seat belts in trucks

Another emotional bill was heard earlier in that same committee. The bill deals with seat belts for pickup trucks, the only vehicle you can operate in Indiana and not have to buckle up. That bill has already passed out of the House. It would require people to have to buckle up even if they're driving a pickup truck. That passed out of committee in the Senate as well.