Mother of slain New Mexico girl works to expand Amber Alert system to tribal land
“It’s the day, my world shattered in 10 million pieces. The day half of my heart stopped beating and the other half left with my daughter,” said Pamela Foster, the mother of Ashlynne Mike.
On May 2, 2016, Ashlynne was kidnapped on her way home from school, raped and then beaten to death with a tire iron.
Her mother frantically called family and friends to search for her. It was then that Foster found out there was no way to quickly alert everyone else on the Navajo reservation.
The following day an Amber Alert was issued just hours before Ashlynne’s body was found in the desert.
Even though that Amber Alert went out to many New Mexicans, many on the Navajo reservation didn’t get it.
Her mother grieved, and still does. Foster also fought, and still does, to get Amber Alerts to every tribe in Indian country.
There are now Amber Alerts throughout New Mexico. Now tribes throughout the United States are at Isleta Pueblo, training on how they can implement them too.
“With my vow to my angel, I had to become a warrior mom and redefine the word brave. It was time to move mountains and honor by baby gone too soon,” Foster said.
