Latest / Shades of Murder / 50: MMIWG Ashlynne Mike - Navajo Nation/Dine', NM

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50: MMIWG Ashlynne Mike - Navajo Nation/Dine', NM · Shades of Murder

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As the moon began to rise over the majestic desert landscape of
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Shiprock, New Mexico, a motorist spotted a small boy wandering
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down the road. When they dropped him off at the
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local police station, he told officers how a stranger in a van
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had abducted him and his older sister while they were walking
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home from school. The little boy appeared to be
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safe and unharmed, but he told the police that the man had hurt
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his sister and abandoned her in the wilderness.
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Who were these innocent children, and who was the
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monster who had abducted them after school?
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Hello and welcome to Shades of Murder.
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In this podcast, I discuss cases of murder from around the world
1:02
and throughout history, attempting to unravel the layers
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of darkness that hell make humans and the monsters.
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Please be forewarned that each episode contains specific and at
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times very graphic and disturbing details of the case.
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This show is not intended for all audiences and listener
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discretion is strongly advised. This is the story of missing and
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murdered indigenous girl Ashlyn Mike of the Navajo Nation.
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The following information regarding this investigation is
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from the official affidavit signed by Special Agent Jeffrey
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T Wright of the FBI Farmington, NM office for the suspect's
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arrest. Set amidst Shiprock Pinnacle, a
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majestic volcanic rock formation that appears to be soaring like
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a bird. Shiprock, New Mexico is a small
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unincorporated community with around 7000 residents.
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On May 2nd, 2016, eleven year old Ashley Mike and her little
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brother, 9 year old Ian never returned after school.
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They would normally walk from the school bus stop back to
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their home on the reservation, which was situated in the Lower
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Fruitland area. But that day the brother and
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sister strayed from their usual routine.
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Their father had expected them home a rather normal time, and
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when the hours passed and night began to fall, he began to panic
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as to where his two youngest kids could be.
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Meanwhile, and an unidentified motorist found a young boy
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walking along Navajo Road 13. They picked up the child and
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brought him into the police station. 9 year old Ian Mike
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told the police that he, his two sisters, and one of their
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friends had all gotten off the school bus.
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Their oldest sister had gone ahead of them and began to walk
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home. Ashlyn and Ian linger behind,
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playing around in the irrigation canal along the way.
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Then, out of nowhere, a man in a red van pulled up next to them.
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He asked them if they wanted a ride home.
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Ashlyn had hurt her foot, so she decided to accept, even though
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neither had seen the man before that day.
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Then the stranger drove off in the opposite direction towards
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Shipwreck Pinnacle. Instead of their house.
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He turned off into a remote Rd. deep into the desert.
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Later, determined to be around 6 miles South of Shipwreck
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Pinnacle, Ian said that the man had parked the van, pulled his
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sister Ashland out and dragged her off into the desert toward a
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hill. The man was carrying a piece of
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curved metal with him. About an hour passed and the
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little boy just sat in the van, alone, waiting and wondering
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where his sister and the strange man had gone to.
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Then the man returned carrying the piece of metal, but his
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sister was nowhere. Insight.
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The man got back into the van, drove them down the road a
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little, but then he suddenly stopped and forced the little
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boy out of the van, leaving him stranded on the Desert Rd.
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Anne looked around the area for his sister, but he couldn't find
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her and the sun was beginning to set, so he decided to walk back
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home. He walked miles until he reached
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Navajo Route 13, when a passerby found the child, picked him up
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and took him directly to the police.
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The young boy gave officers a good description of the van and
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the predator who had kidnapped them.
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According to Ian Mike, the stranger had short hair.
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He wasn't skinny, but he wasn't fat.
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He wasn't young like them, but he wasn't very old.
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He said. The van was red with sliding
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doors, and inside it was a tire, trash bags, a jacket and a
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baseball hat. When interviewed by law
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enforcement, the older sister, who had walked ahead of her two
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younger siblings that day, reported that she had been
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approached by a man in a red van who asked if she wanted to get
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in. She had refused to go inside and
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continued walking home. The girl also described the man
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as being in his 30s with short hair.
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The police searched the vast desert near and around the
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vicinity between the bus stop and out towards Shiprock
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Pinnacle. Tragically, 11 year old Ashlyn
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Mike's remains would be found the following day.
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They discovered the little girl around 11:30 AM in the barren
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desert. Her clothes and shoes have been
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removed. Her head was covered in blood
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and severely bashed in from some kind of blunt force object to
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her face and head. The coroner determined that the
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young girl had also been sexually assaulted.
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Her predator had strangled her and then excessively bludgeoned
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her with a tire iron. This monster had left a little
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girl to die from her injuries alone in the desert.
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The day that Ashland Mike's body was found, CI Louis Saint
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Germain of the Navajo Division of Criminal Investigations spoke
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with a man identified only as GM, who told him he should talk
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to his neighbor about a red van seen around the area of the
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girl's disappearance. GM led the officer to this
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person's home, identified only as Rd.
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While being interviewed, Rd. told the investigator about how
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his clan brother, Tom Begay Junior, drove a red van and was
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around the location where the girl had been abducted.
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Rd. led the investigator to a sweat lodge where he found Tom
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Begay Junior. Criminal Investigator St.
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Germain immediately observed a parked red Dodge Caravan.
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The man referred to as GM took pictures of Tom Begay Junior and
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the van while the investigator interviewed him.
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When they returned to the Mike's residence and showed the
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photographs to the victim's little brother Ian, he
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immediately pointed out that the man in the photographs was the
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man who had picked them up that day.
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He also positively identified the van in the photos as the
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same vehicle he had been driving.
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Thanks to the bravery and amazing attention to detail
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provided by her nine year old brother Ian, Ashlyn, Mike's
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murderer and their kidnapper, was quickly located, identified
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and brought into custody. The description of the van and
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the predator who had abducted them, brutally taking his
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sister's life, LED law enforcement investigators to
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their monster. Law enforcement subsequently
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arrested 27 year old Tom Begay Junior.
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During his official interrogation, he admitted to
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seeing the kids plane in the canal so he stopped to offer
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them a ride. He stated that he had every
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intention of having sexual intercourse with a girl, which
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was the main reason he picked the two children up.
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Tom Begay Junior told the police that Ashlynn was crying and
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begging him to take her home when he pulled the van over on a
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remote desert Rd. He pulled out an l-shaped tire
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iron and placed it inside his jacket before forcing the girl
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out of the van. He dragged her off toward a hill
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where he began to molest her. The little girl fought him off
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and began to cry. Tom Begay Junior struck her in
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the head once with the tire iron.
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She immediately collapsed to the ground.
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He hit her again with a tire iron.
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This time she didn't move. Tom Begay Junior claimed that
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the girl was breathing when he left her.
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The community was heartbroken and outraged by the brutal,
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tragic murder of this little girl.
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The Farmington Civic Center held a gathering in which more than
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1600 people were inside, and just as many residents stood
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outside to mourn the loss of a beautiful child who had only
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just begun her life. Minnie wore yellow, one of
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Ashland's favorite colors. In the wake of Ashland Mike's
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death, the community rallied around her father and her family
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to help support them. Unfortunately, the piranhas of
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society found a way to earn money off of her death.
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Her father later learned that people were selling items at
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flea markets and even burritos in her name.
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There were fraudulent GoFundMe accounts and even bank accounts
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that were temporarily set up in his murdered daughter's name.
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Sometimes it just makes me nauseated by the depths of
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depravity some humans will sink to.
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Meanwhile, Tom Begay Junior was being held in custody more than
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200 miles away in Albuquerque when he appeared in US District
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Court. He waived his right to a
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preliminary hearing on the charges of murder and
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kidnapping. A federal judge ordered him to
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remain in jail. On May 24th, 2016, Tom Begay
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Junior was indicted on 6 counts including first degree murder, 2
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counts of kidnapping with one resulting in death, 2 counts of
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aggravated sexual abuse resulting in death, and the
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abduction of a minor. On June 7th, 2016, Tom Begay
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Junior entered a plea of not guilty to all charges, but that
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would soon change. A plea agreement resulted after
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concern surfaced following a psychological evaluation of the
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defendant during one of the sessions.
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Tom Begay Junior claimed he now understood the scope of his
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horrendous actions and he informed his attorney that he
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deserved to be penalized to the fullest extent of the law.
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It was determined by Chief United States District Judge
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William Johnson that Tom Begay Junior, with proper medication,
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was competent to stand trial. It is not known what kind of
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medication the judge was referring to.
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One of Tom Begay Junior's attorneys was the first to
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advise the court that their client was willing to make a
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plea deal to prevent a trial, but that they needed additional
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time to properly respond. Ashlyn, Mike's killer, elected
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to make a plea agreement with the prosecution under which he
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would plead guilty to charges of murder and kidnapping.
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New Mexico is not a death penalty state, so it is not
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entirely transparent why Tom Begay Junior decided to enter a
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plea agreement, except that he allegedly felt guilt, even
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possible remorse, for his actions.
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On August 1st, 2017, Tom Begay Junior pleaded guilty to all six
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counts. He told the courtroom how he
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fooled the kids into thinking he would drive them home.
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That day, Tom Begay Junior confessed to sexually assaulting
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Ashlyn Mike, although he insisted that he didn't rape
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her. He then strangled the small girl
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and beat her with a tire iron. His confession does not equate
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to having a lack of intention of killing the little girl,
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although he claimed that it wasn't his intention to end her
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life. A video was played in the
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courtroom where Tom Begay Junior talked about how Ashlyn Mike
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died. There were days, he said that he
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couldn't leave his bed. Nobody speak to anyone.
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This acknowledgement did hold some degree of closure for
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Ashlyn Mike's parents, since they knew he had assaulted and
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killed their little girl. Having this violent offender own
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up to his horrendous crimes and express remorse did mean
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something to the victim's loved ones and to the entire tribe who
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were deeply affected by this senseless tragedy.
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According to the Navajo Tribal President, it was a first step
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toward their being able to heal. On October 16th, 2017, Tom Begay
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Junior was sentenced to prison without the chance of ever being
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released. Pamela Foster, Ashlyn Mike's
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mother, spoke these words to the press after the outcome.
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And I quote this is a nightmare we can never wake from and it
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pangs my very soul and knowing he gratified himself in brutally
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assaulting my daughter. This monster terrorized my Angel
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and caused a paramount of pain upon her.
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And it breaks my heart and angers me that the last living
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things she saw was him and looking into his evil eyes.
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This monster desecrated our traditions and cares not for
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others and knows nothing of the value of life.
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We just lost a future leader and a great one and she was to carry
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on our traditions. Although she is no longer
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physically with us, we thank God that a piece of her lives in all
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of her siblings and my hugs are just a little bit longer.
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As survivors, no amount of justice, restitution, and
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praying will ever bring our daughter back.
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Our baby is now in the spirit world, never to be heard again,
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and by the grace of God, this monster has finally admitted to
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his crime. Ashlyn Mike's parents expressed
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a sense of gratitude that Tom Begay Junior had admitted to the
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crimes committed against their children.
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But nothing will ever bring this beautiful, precious little girl
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back to them. There was a semblance of justice
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and a seed of closure for the entire community that was
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planted that day. However, in 2019, Tom Begay
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Junior showed his true selfish, vile nature when he attempted to
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get his sentence overturned in a written request for an appeal.
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Tom Begay Junior wanted the opportunity to plead to a lesser
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offence which would result in a lesser sentence.
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He claimed that due to his low IQ and his public defender being
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incompetent, he didn't understand the law nor his
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rights when he had a psychiatric evaluation conducted which
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directly led him to plead guilty.
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Tom Begay Junior further tried to blame his crimes on his being
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severely intoxicated at the time of the offence, stating that he
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had drunk 1/3 of vodka and beer before picking up Ashlyn and Ian
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Mike that day. The official motion stated, and
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I quote Begay was not functioning as a normal human
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being with such low IQ and have been drinking liquor and beer
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the morning of the incident. It cannot be justified that this
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was a premeditated act of a first degree murder.
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What a slap in the face this statement was to her parents,
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and it proves how little guilt or remorse Tom Begay Junior
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actually felt when he attempted to use his abuse of alcohol and
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his lack of intelligence as a viable excuse for his disgusting
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and unforgivable crimes. Fortunately, no further time or
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resources were spent on this man.
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The motions needed to be filed by October 2018 to be considered
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valid, but since they were not sent in until June 2019, the
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judge declared that his appeal request was denied.
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The judge also addressed how the appellant provided no specific
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reasons why his lawyer was ineffective.
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His sentence of life imprisonment would not be
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overturned. There is nothing that Tom Begay
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Junior could have experienced in life that could ever explain how
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he brutally ended the life of this little girl.
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What is known about his background came from the man who
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helped bring him to justice. According to Rufus Dickey, who
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was referred to as simply Rd. in the FBI agents affidavit at the
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time, he had been a large part of Tom Begay Junior and his
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brothers lives since the spring of 2015.
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The brothers attended a local chapter of the Native American
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church where Rufus Dickey was also a member.
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Their parents had died the year before and they were struggling
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to survive. Their house was a wreck and they
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barely had any basics like food and clothing.
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Although Rufus Dickey didn't have much of his own, he
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selflessly offered what he could to help the brothers.
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On the day of Ashlyn Mike's abduction, Rufus Dickey said
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that Begay Junior had come over to help him craft a gourd
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rattle. The two men hung out for around
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an hour and. Then Tom Begay Junior abruptly
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left in his van. The following morning, Tom Begay
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Junior was back at his house, and neighbors began to talk
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about Ashlyn Mike having gone missing.
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When Rufus Dickey pointed out how his van matched the
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description of the perpetrator's vehicle, Tom Begay Junior acted
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surprised at how he thought they appeared so similar.
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Then he suddenly said he had to leave to pick up a friend in
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Farmington, NM, successfully avoiding the FBI, who would
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arrive shortly after. Rufus Dickey felt personally
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betrayed by the revolting behaviour of Tom Begay Junior,
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and he was shocked that he was capable of such violence.
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Rufus Dickey claimed that he was such a friendly, nice guy who
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was not known forever, acting out violently.
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But his behaviour after what he had done to Ashlyn Mike revealed
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his true nature. According to Rufus Dickey, the
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day of his arrest for her murder, he sat along with Tom
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Begay Junior. Inside the sweat lodge ceremony,
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the group sat praying for Ashlyn Mike and her family.
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It was a very emotional moment and they cried.
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Tom Begay Junior had been hiding his inner monster from those in
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his life. Tom Begay Junior was uneducated,
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had a low IQ, abused alcohol, and struggled with poverty, and
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he most likely had mental health issues.
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However, none of these factors or elements of his character or
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background mitigated his actions, and he purposely set
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out that day to find a victim. First, we know based on the fact
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that Ashlyn, Mike's older sister, was initially approached
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by him and offered a ride that same day.
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When she turned him down, Tom Begay Junior kept driving down
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the road on the hunt for the perfect victim.
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Second, he didn't live even close to where they were at the
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time of the incident. His residence was 45 minutes
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from where the bus stop was located, which clearly indicates
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that he was on a mission to find a child to sexually abuse and
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possibly even murder that day. Maybe he didn't know who his
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target would be, but his intent to find one proves his
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premeditation. Then, by his own admission, he
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chose Ashlyn Mike to have sexual intercourse with her, and when
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he dragged her off to the hill he was holding a hidden weapon
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to bludgeon her to death with. There are no elements of this
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case that implicate that his crimes were anything but.
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First degree and premeditated life imprisonment without the
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possibility of parole may seem like it would be an obvious,
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fair and just outcome to such a brutal crime, but Indigenous
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victims far too often don't see this degree of legal justice.
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Most of the time, perpetrators of violence against Indigenous
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persons receive the minimum over the maximum penalty, if they
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were ever brought to justice at all.
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The primary reason for this is that tribes lack the authority
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and autonomy to respond to Major Crimes, with the federal
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government continuing to place severe restrictions on its
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powers. There is also a lack of
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oversight on how federal grants are used, such as in the tragic
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case of Ashland Mike, in which the Amber Alert failed to be in
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place. The Amber Alert was established
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in response to the devastating kidnapping and murder of nine
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year old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, TX in 1996.
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The community was outraged by her senseless, tragic murder,
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and this case changed the process of how missing children
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are broadcast. Named for Amber Hagerman, the
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Amber Alert was established by broadcasters in the Dallas Fort
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Worth, TX area and the local police.
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It is a way to bring immediate attention to a child having gone
24:49
missing, with important details delivered over mass media.
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Notifications were initially sent over the radio, then on
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television and across highway digital signs, and in more
25:03
recent years through text messages.
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I know that every time my phone gives that alarming bell of an
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Amber Alert message it is disturbing to receive.
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I read all the details and give a little wish of hope for the
25:20
child to be found safe and soon. AMBER is an acronym for
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America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response Statistics
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show that the chances of locating an objective child and
25:33
bringing them back home safe and sound are directly, positively
25:36
affected by the Amber Alert. By the end of 2020, four 1268
25:44
children had been recovered from the Amber Alert.
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For perspective, in 2023, there were 185 AMBER Alerts issued and
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183 of these resulted in successful recoveries.
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There are no guarantees, but the data shows that the odds are
26:03
very high. When an Amber Alert is
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registered, an action to find the child is enacted right away
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and on a widespread scale that they will be found.
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The key is to initiate and issue the alert notifications as soon
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as possible. According to a study done by the
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Washington State Attorney General's Office, 76% of
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children who are kidnapped are murdered within the first three
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hours. Ashland's father, Gary Mike, was
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outraged and sickened by the failure in the system, which he
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believed directly led to his daughter's death.
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He filed a civil complaint against the Navajo Tribe and its
26:51
Division of Public Safety and Department of Law Enforcement
26:54
for not having an emergency notification system in place for
26:58
the children on the reservation. It's specifically cited the
27:02
mishandling of the investigation into his children's abduction by
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Navajo Nation Police Captain Ivan Sosi of the Shiprock Police
27:11
Department. The complaint details how Ashlyn
27:14
and Ian's father, Gary Mike, filed a missing persons report
27:17
for his daughter at 6:53 PM on the evening of May 2nd.
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However, law enforcement did not inform the FBI until 9:00 PM, an
27:31
official search was not performed until after 2:00 AM,
27:35
and an Amber Alert was not distributed until 2:30 AM.
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At the time of her disappearance, Ashlyn Mike's
27:43
father was unaware of the fact that there was no existing Amber
27:48
Alert system in place for reservations.
27:52
He just assumed that his children would be prioritized to
27:56
be searched for like all others. According to Officer Sosi, who
28:02
was named in the civil complaint as having specifically been at
28:05
fault for the improper investigation into Ashland
28:08
Mike's kidnapping, there were several agencies involved in the
28:12
efforts. Her objection was reported to
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the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations around
28:18
7:30 PM that night. Her aunt had requested that an
28:22
Amber Alert be issued at the Farmington Police Department
28:25
that night. Police Lieutenant Taft Tracy of
28:29
the Farmington Station said that he informed Bill Hall, an FBI
28:33
agent in charge of that office, about the kidnapped girl and how
28:37
they needed an Amber Alert issued, and Agent Hall said he
28:40
was gathering more information on the situation.
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Agent Hall told Lieutenant Tracy that his department could
28:47
request it at 9:30 PM Captain Sosi claimed that they alerted
28:52
the FBI at 9 O 7:00 PM, but they failed to issue an Amber Alert
28:57
right away. The FBI alerted the center at
29:00
12:20 AM with the details of Ashlyn Mike having disappeared
29:04
in the desert around Shiprock Pinnacle.
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Sergeant Chad of the New Mexico State Police claimed that his
29:10
agency was made aware of her disappearance around the same
29:13
time, yet between the time the request was initially made, it
29:18
took five more hours until it was distributed.
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The New Mexico State Police issued an Amber Alert at 2:30
29:27
AM, which was 10 hours after the little girl had been abducted
29:32
and eight hours after her father had reported her missing.
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The FBI attempted to defend its delayed actions by stating that
29:41
since they had received credible details from Ian Mike that the
29:45
girl was in the desert near Shipwreck Pinnacle and Amber
29:49
Alert would likely not have been beneficial to helping find her
29:52
in time. I don't think it can be disputed
29:55
that if they had searched for the girl much earlier in the
29:57
night, there was a strong possibility that she would have
30:01
still been alive and they could have given her medical
30:05
attention. Instead, she died of her
30:09
injuries overnight, alone in the desert because law enforcement
30:13
was not actively searching for her right away.
30:18
The convoluted and confusing jurisdiction that exists on
30:21
Native American reservations creates obstacles to searching
30:25
for missing children and Ashley Mike's case.
30:29
Even though her parents did everything they could to find
30:32
her and her brother, when they failed to show up after school,
30:35
the system sent roadblocks in front of law enforcement.
30:40
Due to this, an Amber Alert was not issued until the day after
30:46
Ashlyn Mike was abducted. Far too long for a missing child
30:52
not to be searched for every hour is absolutely critical when
30:58
a child goes missing. The civil complaint filed by
31:01
Gary Mike also addressed how the Navajo Nation have been given 2
31:05
sizeable grants by the US Department of Justice, one in
31:09
2007 for $330,000 and another for 357,000 in 2011 that should
31:18
have been used to create such an emergency system.
31:22
In 2007, the Navajo Tribe was selected as one of 10 tribes by
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the US Justice of Department in their efforts to expand Amber
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Alerts on reservations. The 2007 grant was reportedly
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given to help the tribe establish an Amber Alert system
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in addition to being used for other projects, items as well as
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employee bonuses at the Department of Law Enforcement
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and Division of Public Safety. However, more than half of the
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amount granted was not spent and was returned to the Justice
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Department. Then in 2011, the second grant
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for $357,000 was given to establish a sex offender
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registration and notification program.
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This included an upgraded fingerprint identification
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system that could be shared with national databases and
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advancements in its intelligence and technology resources.
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But these funds were not used as they were intended to be, and
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the system was never put into place.
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Unfortunately, the Amber Alert notification system was not
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prioritized until it was too late.
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This is not a criticism of the Navajo tribe.
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Rather, it is a reflection of the critical resources they are
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in dire need of, which are too often made unnecessarily
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complicated by having to make agreements with the US
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government. Encompassing almost 27,000
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miles, the Navajo Nation includes northeastern Arizona,
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southeastern Utah, and northwestern New Mexico.
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This area combined is larger than many states.
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The Navajo Nation consists of almost 300,000 members, making
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it the largest tribe in the United States, and more than
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100,000 members reside within the lands of New Mexico.
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The Navajo people call themselves Danae, which in their
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language translates to the people.
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It is believed that once the Spanish had entered the
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southwestern regions, they began to call the indigenous people
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Navajo. The Navajo have faced centuries
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of suffering inflicted upon them by the US government, not unlike
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all other indigenous tribes. What is considered the infamous
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Long Walk of 1860, more than 10,000 persons, including
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children, were forced to March to Bosque Redondo on the Pecos
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River in South New Mexico. There, these people were
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stripped of their freedom and incarcerated for four years.
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Countless Navajo died from starvation and disease before
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making an agreement with the US government to return to their
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lands. In 1868, the Navajo Treaty, also
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known as the Treaty of Fort Sumner, was signed by the US
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government and the Navajo, which established the existing
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relationship it has today. This treaty was unheard of
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during this aggressive, violent, and hostile period in history.
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The Navajo were only a few indigenous tribes who were
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permitted to reside on their lands.
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However, this agreement was not signed without many sacrifices
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having been made to be able to live on their lands again, which
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they had called their home for centuries.
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The Nova who had to seize war against the United States, they
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were forced to allow U.S. officials to live there amongst
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their lands to help oversee obligations made to them.
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These obligations and promises included annuities, farm
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equipment, livestock, and other supplies which were deemed
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necessary to rebuild their lives upon their lands.
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In addition, the agreement secured the establishment of
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various buildings and structures considered necessary by the US
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government. In particular, a railroad that
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ran through and thus obstructed their territory and any similar
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utilities in the future could not be disputed.
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Navajo Nation is full of breathtaking natural beauty, a
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symbol of their long standing cultural heritage and connection
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to the region. From Window Rock, the capital of
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Navajo Nation, to Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, the
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amazing scenery across their land is worldwide recognized and
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frequently photographed. Unfortunately, these vast lands
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across over three states have also created ongoing issues
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surrounding criminal jurisdiction that increases the
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opportunities for crimes to occur, especially violent crime.
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The Navajo Nation faces an insurmountable crisis of
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violence and an alarming lack of resources to fight crime much
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less prevented. Between 2010 and 2016, the
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Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety received over
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200,000 calls annually, and half of them involved violence.
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The crime rate is not necessarily higher than an
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average large metropolitan city, but when you take into
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consideration the vast amount of territory combined with grossly
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understaffed enforcement and protection, it creates the
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perfect storm. As of 2021, they had 210 police
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officers and 28 investigators covering over 27,000 miles of
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land. This equates to roughly one
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officer patrolling more than 200 miles and less than an officer.
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Specifically, .8 of an officer per 1000 residents.
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Compare that to an average of 2.4 officers per 1000 residents
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in the United States. Every year officers respond to
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an average of 40 homicides. In 2017, FBI reported there were
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2534 violent crimes, 2311 aggravated assaults, and 160
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rapes. This is only what was officially
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reported. Data shows that rape and sexual
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assault is grossly under reported when you consider the
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historical lack of respect, police concerned and justice
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given to victims of sexual assault and domestic violence on
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the reservations. There are a great number of
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Indigenous women, girls and two spirit individuals who never
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report the violence they experience.
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All of these factors help to perpetuate the ongoing crisis of
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missing and murdered Indigenous persons, in particular women and
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girls. This little girl did not die in
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vain. The death of Ashlyn Mike paved
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the way to real change in the system that could help tribal
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communities prevent future violence committed against their
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children on the reservations. Her devastated parents, in
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particular her mother Pamela Foster, has been at the
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forefront of the movement. In December 2017, the Navajo
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Tribal president signed an agreement to establish the Amber
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Alert that enables them the ability to issue notifications
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over the radio, television and via text message to all 11
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counties within the borders of its reservation.
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That was only the beginning for Ashlyn Mike's mother though, as
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she would end up visiting Capitol Hill to fight for all
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reservations to have the Amber Alert.
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Ashley Mike's mother, Pamela Foster, address the importance
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of the Amber Alert on the reservation at the annual
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National Amber Alert in Indian Country Symposium, which is held
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in Albuquerque, NM. At the symposium, tribal
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members, partners, law enforcement professionals, and
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Emergency Management are invited to learn about the process of
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the Amber Alert and in particular, how the Navajo
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Nation developed its program to honor her daughter, Ashlyn Mike.
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When Pamela Foster lost her precious daughter, her world and
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heart were shattered, but she found a way to make the loss of
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Ashlyn Mike make a difference in the lives of others.
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She spoke to the symposium about her loss, expressing how on a
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quote. A part of me died with Ashlyn in
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the morning. I listened to her voice and hold
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my arms long to hold her. My Angel did not deserve to die
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the way she did. Although Ashlyn is no longer
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physically here with us, she is still working for us.
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Long after I am gone, her work will still be in action.
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It is through the love we have for our little girl that we have
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moved mountains and I am thankful her legacy will be
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remembered. She stressed to those in
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attendance the importance of establishing an Amber Alert to
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help prevent such a tragedy from occurring to another family.
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Pamela Foster told him that she made a promise to her daughter
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that she would do her part to fix the loophole that exists in
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the system and that she will fight for an Amber Alert to
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exist on all reservations in response to her tragic death.
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Then Arizona Senator John McCain introduced a bill that ensures
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such funding for Amber Alerts now goes to the tribes.
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Congress passed the Ashland Mike Amber Alert and Indian Country
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Act in 2018. Before this legislation,
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Department of Justice grants for the Amber Alerts were only
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available to the states. The new law provides all 567
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federally recognized tribes the ability to establish their own
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Amber Alert programs on the reservations.
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It provides critical training and technical assistance for
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tribes, giving them access to state and regional Amber Alert
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plans. This provides them with the
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broadest reach possible to the surrounding communities.
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On April 17th, 2018, President Trump signed the Ashland Mike
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Amber Alert for Indian Country Act Similar to other legislation
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crafted to change issues and obstacles around tribal access
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to pertinent criminal databases and other resources, there are
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still many areas of needed improvement.
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However, according to a survey in which 100 federally
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recognized tribes responded to, there are currently 76 tribes
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that participate in the Amber Alert plan.
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Resources critical to their successful implementation
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remain. These include staff ongoing
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training, preparation for child abduction investigations, access
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to information systems where they can include details about
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the missing child and suspect. A lack of technology and
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infrastructure in general, but specifically few computers,
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software, Rd. signs and the capability of broadcasting has
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left a huge gap in the possibility of utilizing the
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Amber Alert as needed. Another obstacle is the poor and
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strained communication between law enforcement and the native
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tribes. The vast areas of land amongst
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reservations create the largest challenge of all.
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According to the official FBI data, there are more than 7500
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Indigenous children missing, but the reality of these numbers is
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significantly much higher. For Ashlyn Mike's parents, the
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Amber Alert system came far too late, but they recognize how
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their tragic loss has led to so many people becoming aware of
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the programs and changes the Native American people and the
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reservations desperately need and deserve.
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Nothing will ever bring this precious little girl back.
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Unlike so many victims of violence, Ashlyn Mike lives in
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the ACT, written into law by her name.
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She lives in the hope of reaching and finding young
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members of her community and other Indigenous communities who
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may go missing before it's too late.
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This horrible, tragic ending to a beautiful young life will help
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to save countless innocent lives like hers in the future.
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Remember her name, Share her story, know her face.
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She matters. Thank you so much for listening
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to the heartbreaking but extremely important case of
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Ashlyn Mike of the Navajo Nation.
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Until next time, be safe and watch out for Shades of Murder
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happening in the streets next door, especially inside your own
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home. Shades of Murder is created,
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researched, written and edited by Alita Caldwell.
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Original music Stranger composed by Stereo Code.