MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin state senator in Milwaukee is questioning why an Amber Alert was not issued for a missing boy in her neighborhood. That boy was later found dead.
On Wednesday evening, the Milwaukee Police Department began looking for five-year-old Prince McCree. He was reported missing at the 2400 block of N. 54th Street.
Then on Thursday, officers found his body in a dumpster on the 5500 block of W. Vliet Street. A 27-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy have been arrested in connection with the case.
State Sen. LaTonya Johnson said the five-year-old boy and his family live only a few houses away from her.
“I used to see the mom walk the kids to the corner store, which is Family Dollar, and they just always seemed so happy,” said Johnson.
She said the news of McCree’s death broke her heart.
Johnson also said the only reason she knew McCree was missing was because someone told her his dad was going door to door asking if they had seen him.
“The police department tried twice to get Amber Alerts for him and a five-year-old didn’t rise to the level of an Amber Alert,” said Johnson.
Johnson said she found that frustrating.
“There definitely needs to be some changes because you had people who went to sleep that night and woke up to a child being found deceased that they didn’t even know was missing,” said Johnson.
The Wisconsin Amber Alert program began in 2003.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s latest report released in 2021, it has only been used 53 times.
The DOJ issued the following statement:
“Because this is an ongoing investigation, the Wisconsin DOJ is not releasing law enforcement sensitive information.”
Johnson believes there needs to be more special criteria for young children.
“A five-year-old is not able to be self sufficient out on the streets for long periods of time and time is of the essence so making sure that the Amber Alert isn’t used as a convenience for the state, but as a source that it is supposed to be which is to notify people that there are missing children involved,” said Johnson.
A GoFundMe page has also been made for McCree’s family. Johnson said they will need all the help they can get through this tragic time.
“That’s extremely, extremely important that they get the resources they need for them to get permanent housing, where the family can continue to be together, but also a place of their own,” she said.
She hopes the community is willing to help and hopes the family can one day find peace.