Advocates urge public to heed Turquoise Alerts after death of 8-year-old

Why advocates say Turquoise Alerts are vital for Arizona

Missing person advocates are urging the public to heed Turquoise Alerts following the death of 8-year-old Maleeka "Mollie" Boone, the first fatality linked to the system since it was established. FOX 10's Nicole Krasean has the details.

PHOENIX - Advocates are urging Arizonans to take Turquoise Alerts seriously following a tragic week that saw the system's first reported fatality since its inception.

What we know:

The alert system, designed to highlight missing people, was activated early Friday morning for 8-year-old Maleeka "Mollie" Boone. The Navajo Police Department later confirmed that the child’s body was found in Coalmine.

"This is our first tragedy that has come from a Turquoise Alert," said Rhonda Dequier, founder of the Missing in America Network. Dequier credited the system with helping locate missing individuals quickly in the past, often within a day of the notification.

The FBI Phoenix field office has not shared additional details regarding Boone's death or whether foul play is suspected.

Isabella Comas

Currently, the only remaining active alert in the state is for 21-year-old Isabella Comas, who was reported missing under suspicious circumstances Monday. Avondale Police named her boyfriend, Tommy Rodriguez, 39, a person of interest Thursday. Rodriguez is also accused of theft and criminal damage.

Avondale Police Officer Jaret Redfearn praised the alert for expanding the department's reach. "In the past, without that Turquoise Alert designator, the reach wasn’t as wide when we would send out a notification," Redfearn said.

To prevent the public from becoming desensitized, the Arizona Department of Public Safety limits the notifications to specific geographic locations.

"Please be the eyes and the ears," Dequier said. "Understand that you don’t really understand what a family goes through until you’re in those shoes."