OLYMPIA, Wash. — A man has been charged for allegedly abducting a 21-year-old Bremerton woman on the autism spectrum, and now, advocates are calling for change.
Leroy Franklin Nickols, 21, was seen in tears as he heard charges in a Kitsap County courtroom Tuesday afternoon.
Investigators say the victim has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old.
The victim’s brother-in-law spoke in court, describing his sister-in-law as a bright and happy person who is “mentally limited” and “doesn’t understand risks.”
Off-camera, he told KIRO 7 News that she is unable to find her own home on a map.
Prosecutors said the victim is vulnerable, and that Nickols took her away and tried to hide her, even turning off phones.
The judge issued a no-contact order against Nickols, which also prohibits any online communication with the victim. Investigators believe this is how the pair initially met.
Bail was set at $250,000 for Nickols.
Nickols has prior convictions for rape and assault in two other counties. He is also a registered sex offender.
In Olympia, families of missing persons are advocating for a proposed Purple Alert bill (SB 6070). This bill would expand the current Endangered Missing Persons Alert (EMPA) to include missing persons with disabilities-- vulnerable adults, those with cognitive or physical disabilities, those who cannot return home on their own safely, and those with suicide ideation.
Irene Pfister, whose brother, Jonathan Hoang, has been missing for 295 days, is very much in favor of having these alerts.
“I 100% believe that if a Purple Alert had been in effect in our state at the time in which he went missing, he would be home right now,” Pfister said.
Sen. Manka Dhingra, a sponsor of the the Purple Alert legislation, says it redefines how endangered individuals are identified, allowing law enforcement to act more rapidly.
“This problem is a lot more prevalent than people think and this hopefully will give some tools to law enforcement and the families to make sure that the loved one is returned to safety,” she said.
She also said an Ebony Alert will be added to address the high number of Black people, specifically Black women, who go missing.
“In Jonathan’s case, the EMPA was not issued until five days after he went missing. And by that point, time is so critical in a missing person’s case and potential abduction case,” Pfister said, criticizing existing emergency protocol.
Nickols is scheduled to appear back in court on February 12.
The Purple Alert bill, which aims to address the identified gaps, is set to be voted on this Thursday, with no apparent opposition.