Posted: 6/18/2014
Wallet-sized card could save time in an emergency
Twenty years ago Rosa Diaz waited anxiously by the phone for word about her then 16-year old son. It had been two days since she last spoke with her oldest child and she knew something was wrong. With the help of relatives, Diaz papered the neighborhood with flyers seeking information on her missing son. Because of his age, police asked whether he had simply left.
As a Dallas Area Rapid Transit Police Officer, Diaz knew that was a possibility. As a mother, she knew something was horribly wrong. Three days later her worst nightmare became a reality when her son’s body and that of her young nephew were found in an isolated part of Dallas County. Murdered, she said, for tire rims.
Since that day in 1994, Diaz, now a Dallas County Hospital District Police Department Officer has worked tirelessly to ensure that if a child is missing, a parent or guardian is able to provide the most up-to-date identification to law enforcement agencies. Through a free “Parkland Kids” identification card, parents can quickly provide critical information in a time of crises.
“When your child is lost in a mall or something has happened and they haven’t made it home from school, you go into crisis mode and all you can think about is getting your child back safe and unharmed,” Diaz said. “If a child wanders off in a crowded shopping center you can pull out the card and mall security can quickly put out an accurate description of the missing child.”
The card, which will be distributed during outreach efforts in which the Parkland police participate, includes the child’s name, date of birth, height and weight, eye and hair color as well as a photo and thumb print. Any birth marks or scars, allergies and names of the parents and/or guardians are also listed on the card, which is the size of a credit card. The Parkland-issued card differs from those issued by other law enforcement agencies in that a Medical Record Number (MRN) is part of the identification. In the event that the child has an underlying medical condition, his or her medical record can be easily accessed.
Although it’s been 20 years since her son was killed, Diaz’s family faced another terrifying incident three years ago when her then 12-year old granddaughter was nearly grabbed by an adult male as she walked to school. Thankfully, she was able to run from the alleged abductor and alerted her parents and school officials about what had taken place.
“We were lucky that she was OK. But if something had happened and she wasn’t able to get away, this ID card would have quickly helped the police,” Diaz said, adding that she hopes that no parent or guardian ever has a need to use the card.