Nearly a year after 21-year-old Jonathan Hoang vanished from his family’s home in Arlington, Washington, his loved ones are channeling their grief into advocacy, pushing for a new statewide alert system they believe could help other families avoid the same heartbreak.
Jonathan, who has autism, was reported missing in early 2025. According to his family, it was completely out of character for him to leave home without telling anyone.
From the beginning, they shared concerns with law enforcement that he may have been taken against his will. Despite extensive searches and public appeals, he has not been found.
His disappearance exposed what the Hoang family sees as a gap in Washington’s emergency alert system.
Five days after Jonathan was reported missing, an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory (EMPA) was issued by the Washington State Patrol.
Under current guidelines, an EMPA can be activated when a person is believed to be endangered due to age, physical or mental condition, severe weather, or an inability to return home safely without help. However, the advisory is issued only after the investigating agency submits a request and the required criteria are met.
For Jonathan’s family, the five-day delay was devastating. They believe the earliest hours in a disappearance are the most critical, particularly for individuals with cognitive or developmental disabilities who may struggle to seek help or communicate their needs.
Now, the Hoangs are backing Washington Senate Bill 6070, also known as the “Purple Alert” bill. The proposal would establish a specific alert system for missing adults with cognitive or developmental disabilities, including autism.
Supporters say it would create a clear, standardized protocol requiring alerts to be issued immediately once criteria are met, removing uncertainty and inconsistencies between jurisdictions.
If passed, Purple Alerts would function similarly to Amber Alerts for missing children. Notifications could appear on electronic highway message boards and be broadcast through highway advisory radio systems, rapidly spreading information to drivers and the broader public.
Law enforcement agencies across the state would recognize and follow a defined process tailored to vulnerable adults.
Earlier this month, the bill passed out of the state Senate and is now under consideration in the House, where it is scheduled for a public hearing before the Community Safety Committee.
Jonathan’s father plans to testify in support of the legislation. While he acknowledges that a Purple Alert would not change what happened to his son, he hopes it will spare other families the anguish of waiting days for broader public notification.
Advocates argue that as awareness of autism and other developmental disabilities grows, public safety systems must evolve as well.
Adults with such conditions may appear physically capable but can face serious risks if lost, confused, or isolated. A targeted alert system, they say, would reflect those realities.
The Hoang family continues to search for answers. Nearly every day, they hold onto the hope that Jonathan will walk back through their front door. In the meantime, they are determined that his disappearance will lead to meaningful reform.
For them, the Purple Alert bill is not only about policy, it is about urgency, recognition, and the belief that vulnerable adults deserve the same immediate, coordinated response already in place for children.
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