ST. LOUIS — Sunday marked 20 years since the disappearance of 9-year-old Christian Ferguson. While the boy's father is in prison for Christian's presumed death, the little boy's mother is fighting for change.
She wants to see an alert system created to prevent other mothers from experiencing her pain.
Loved ones gathered in Forrest Park Sunday to mark the somber occasion.
"20 years. This exact day,” said Christian’s mother, Theda Person.
She is standing stronger than she knew she could. "I'm proud of myself," she said.
Instead of focusing on her pain, Person is using this as a day of action.
Christian suffered from a serious medical condition and needed life-saving medication.
She said, sometimes the 9-year-old boy didn't get it based on neglect from his father. She's pushing for an alert system that would send out notifications when someone with special needs goes missing or needs their medicine.
"If someone didn't pick up their medication, the pharmacist could send out an alert,” said Danielle Robertson.
Danielle's 12-year-old son, affectionately known as Superbaby, lives with a ventilator. "It will be very beneficial. My son does not have a voice. I'm his
voice, so if we can have an alert system that will send out an alert from the pharmacy, he needs that."
A host of elected leaders joined the community and a representative from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to add fire to the movement.
"We have the Amber Alert for the children, the Silver Alert for our elders, the Blue Alert for first responders, police,” Alderwoman Shameem Clark Hubbard said.
Hubbard wants to see Person's dream become reality.
"I have put the call out to my colleagues, working with our City Emergency Management system here, learning what the steps are…so no other mother has to be in Theda's footsteps,” she said.
"It just warms my heart,” Person said, observing the support around her.
Community leaders said, if they can get this going in the St. Louis area, they hope it can eventually serve as a national model.
The notification system would be similar to the Amber Alert for children and the Silver Alert for adults. Friday, Alderwoman Clark Hubbard shared the idea with the Board of Aldermen.
Five On Your Side will follow this developing story.