A high-profile missing person case out of central Indiana has taken an incredibly tragic turn, leading many in the community to take a stand to fight for positive change.
Hailey Buzbee, a 17-year-old girl from Fishers, Indiana, was reported missing by her parents on January 5. All that was initially publicly released was that it was believed that she had been picked up by someone outside her family home, that she had left voluntarily, and that she was believed to be in danger.
For weeks, missing person flyers hung in store windows and on street corners. Hailey’s photo and information about her disappearance were shared nationwide, and the community rallied together in hopes of bringing the teen home safe.
Horrifically, the case would not have the happy ending that so many had been praying for.
On Sunday, February 1, officials investigating the case held a press conference in which they revealed that they believed Hailey was deceased. They also shared that they had arrested a person of interest in the case.
That person of interest has been identified as 39-year-old Tyler Thomas of Ohio. Police believe that Hailey met Thomas through an online gaming platform and that she left her home to meet up with him. They also believe that he took her to a rental home in Hocking County, Ohio, and that she was likely killed soon after.
While searching Thomas’ phone, investigators found explicit photos and videos of the 17-year-old. Thomas was initially charged only with pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and tampering with evidence. However, due to recent updates, it is believed that a murder charge is to be expected.
On Monday, police revealed that the suspect led investigators to Hailey’s remains, which have since been recovered.
In the wake of this horrific tragedy, a petition has been started to pass what friends and family members are calling Hailey’s Law.
The goal of the law is to create a “Pink Alert” system for “missing persons and children when credible risk indicators exist, even if Amber or Silver Alert criteria are not met.” Because Hailey was believed to be a runaway, an Amber Alert was never issued when she went missing.
The petition also calls for greater internet safety awareness in Indiana schools, with a particular focus on “online grooming, digital manipulation, and coercive tactics used today.”
In just a short time, the petition has been signed by over 50,000 people.