The Athena Alert is already law in the state of Texas

Texas – The Athena Alert is now law in the state of Texas after Governor Greg Abbott signed bill HB 3556.

The new law takes effect immediately.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE WITH AN AMBER ALERT?

The Athena Alert is similar to an Amber Alert, except that it allows authorities to immediately place an alert in a localized area to people within a 100-mile radius and adjacent counties where the child is missing without having to confirm an abduction.

The law is named for Athena Strand, a 7-year-old North Texas girl who disappeared from her father’s home in Paradise in November 2022 and was found dead two days later. A package delivery driver confessed to accidentally hitting Athena with her vehicle and then strangling her when he said she was going to tell her father about the incident.

Strand’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, testified before the Texas House committee, recalling that she asked for an Amber Alert to be issued as soon as she learned her daughter was missing.

The suspect in the homicide, identified as Tanner Lynn Horner, struck the girl as she was backing her truck and then put her in the vehicle. The FedEx driver said she panicked, tried to break her neck and then strangled her after she said she was going to tell her dad.