Authorities in Kentucky have issued an Ian Alert for Jahmari Carter, a missing teenager with autism. Ian Alerts are designed to help quickly locate missing children with autism or mental illness.
Who is Jahmari Carte? Teen with autism missing in Lexington
According to Kentucky State Police, an Ian Alert was issued for 17-year-old Jahmari Carter who was last seen Wednesday morning in Lexington.
Police said Carter was last seen just before 10am Wednesday on Conley Street. He is described as 5’7″ tall with brown hair and brown eyes and has autism.
According to Fox56, around 1:15 pm on Wednesday, the Lexington Police Department announced that Jahmari had been found.
“Jahmari has been found SAFE and is being reunited with his family. Thank you to the media and everyone who shared this!” department leaders said.
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What is the Ian Alert?
The Ian Alert is a new alert system created to help locate missing children under 18 who have a diagnosed mental illness and may be in danger.
The system was launched in Kentucky and was created in memory of nine-year-old Ian Sousis, a boy with autism who drowned in the Ohio River after running away from a children’s home in June 2022.
To establish the alert system, a bill passed in the state legislature was signed into law by Andy Beshear in July 2025. Ian’s grandmother, Rhonda O’Brien who spent two years advocating for a system that would fill the gap between standard alerts and the risks faced by children on the autism spectrum.
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How the alert works
According to a WDRB report, the Ian Alert uses the same notification system as the Amber Alert. This allows authorities to send alerts to smartphones, news outlets and highway signs.
Steve Hensley who is the director of Kenton County Emergency Management said the system can notify entire counties within minutes.
“It fills a critical gap in emergency response,” Hensley added.
Officials say the Ian Alert system is designed to help quickly find missing children who may be at risk.
