Failures in missing person response raised after San Carlos Apache teen’s death

San Carlos Apache teen Emily Pike, who went missing from a Mesa, Arizona, group home in January, was found murdered near Globe on Feb. 14, according to the Arizona Mirror. Her mother, Stephanie Dosela, learned of her daughter’s death after seeing photos of human remains on social media, highlighting communication failures among tribal, county and state agencies.

During a May 14 Arizona legislative hearing, officials and family members discussed gaps in sexual assault response, missing person protocols and jurisdictional challenges tied to tribal sovereignty. The San Carlos Apache Tribe is calling for improved information sharing and immediate missing child status for group home runaways. A new state law, dubbed “Emily’s Law,” creates a Turquoise Alert for missing Native people.