Megan's Law

Texas Department of Public Safety Sex Offenders Database
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Megan's Law was signed by President Clinton on May 17, 1996. Megan's Law was much needed, despite Washington State's 1990 Comunity Protection Act which included America's first law authorizing public notification when dangerous sex offenders are released into the comunity. It was the brutal 1994 rape and murder of seven-year-old Megan Nicole Kanka by a previously registered sex offender that prompted the public demand for broad based community notification, hence bringing forth Megan's Law.

On Friday July 29, 1994, Megan Nicole Kanka disappeared. With the promise of a puppy, her neighbor lured her into his home where he raped, strangled and suffocated her. Her body was stuffed into a plastic toy chest and dumped in a nearby park . Megan had been killed by a two-time convicted pedophile who lived across the street from the Kanka home and was sharing his house with two other convicted sex offenders he met in prison. Sparked by community outrage, petitions began circulating throughout the state of New Jersey demanding the right to be made aware of sexual predators. Megan's parents, Maureen and Richard Kanka, had gathered more than 430,000 signatures, and 89 days after Megan's disappearance the first state law that mandated active community notification was signed into law, New Jersey's Megan's Law. The Kankas started the Megan Nicole Kanka Foundation and are involved with many projects that focus on promoting safety for our children. Maureen Kanka, a well-known figurehead and respected child advocate, travels the country to speak to concerned citizen groups about dangers to children, the need to educate families, and lures used by sexual predators who target children. After Megan's tragic death, Maureen and Richard Kanka lobbied to put into place a federal law requiring all 50 states to notify the community of the presence of sex offenders who posed a risk to public safety. The Kankas were joined in their lobbying efforts by powerful advocates such as Marc Klaas (www.Klasskids.com), Patty Wetterling, John Walsh and many other advocates and victims nationwide. They were victorious on May 17, 1996, when a federal version of Megan's Law became enacted. In attendance that day was one of the nation's most powerful advocates, John Walsh, father of 6-year-old Adam Walsh, who was abducted on July 27, 1981 and later found murdered. The prime suspect in Adam's murder, Ottis Toole, was never charged in the Adam Walsh case; he died in prison while serving life for other crimes. John fights back on television's "America's Most Wanted," (www.amw.com) by helping to bring justice to other crime victims. The work by John and his wife, Reve, led to the passage of the Missing Children Act of 1982 and The Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1984. The latter bill founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Other Resources

Volunteer Search and Rescue Organizations
can provide search dogs, ground searchers, air search support, etc.
Missing Children’s Organizations can provide flyers and volunteers
Victims of Crime Assistance funding can pay for counseling for victims and families and funeral costs
TxDPS Missing Person’s Clearinghouse: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/