Ian Alert Activated in Kentucky to Locate Missing Teenager with Autism A critical alert system, developed in response to a past tragedy, was activated in Kentucky to help locate a missing teenager with autism. The Ian Alert, named after Ian Sousis, a boy who died in the Ohio River in 2021, played a pivotal role in the successful recovery of Jahmari Carter, a 17-year-old with autism who had wandered off. The alert was first used in a real-world scenario on March 12, 2026, marking its first successful deployment. Jahmari’s mother, Amie Hughes, described the moment she realized her son was missing. “My heart dropped, my soul left my body. I felt like the wind got knocked out of me,” she said. She recounted being in full panic mode, overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. Despite his age, Jahmari was in critical danger due to his autism, which often leads to sudden, unpredictable behavior. State police issued the Ian Alert, a system designed to quickly locate individuals with autism who may wander off, particularly near water sources. The alert was activated after Jahmari was reported missing, and it led to his safe recovery. Hughes expressed deep gratitude for the alert’s role in saving her son. “It saved my child. It helped me save my child,” she said. Rhonda O’Brien, the grandmother of Ian Sousis, shared her emotional reaction to the alert’s success. “It was overwhelmingly emotional, and I don’t even know if that’s a word,” she said. O’Brien, who had previously lost her grandson to the Ohio River, expressed relief that the alert was fulfilling its purpose. “I was just super emotional and happy to see that the alert is doing what it’s supposed to do,” she said. Ian Sousis, who also had autism, had run from a children’s home in 2021 and tragically died in the Ohio River near Ludlow.#kentucky #ian_alert #jahmari_carter #amie_hughes #rhonda_obrien
