Issue date: 3/29/07 Section: News

The disappearance of Eastern student Molly Dattilo has received attention from media across the nation. Molly's case is now making waves at the Indiana state Capitol.

Molly Dattilo's Law passed the Indiana senate Monday. The proposed law returns to the House for approval of the Senate's amendments. If passed by the House, Molly Dattilo's Law will be sent to the governor.

Molly Dattilo's Law will require Indiana's law enforcement to immediately investigate missing persons cases, said Keri Dattilo, Molly's cousin.

The law also sets specific procedures police must follow while investigating a missing persons case.

The Dattilo family began lobbying for the law in December 2005, more than a year after Molly disappeared from her brother's home in Indianapolis.

After the Dattilo family initially reported Molly's disappearance, it took about six weeks for the police to really start investigating the case. And, by then, a lot of the evidence was untraceable, Keri said.

"I think we would have had more information (if the police had initially investigated)," Keri said, "if not have Molly back now."

The police treated Molly's case as a runaway at first, Keri said.

An Eastern professor called the police station that was handling Molly's case and told officers that he had seen Molly walking around campus. And the police were determined to travel to Eastern and bring Molly home, Keri said.

"It's one nightmare that a loved one goes missing," Keri said. "It's another nightmare to fight with law enforcement to take it seriously."

So, the Dattilo family took matters into their own hands.

Keri, who worked with the FOX TV station at the time, even tried to get Molly's case on America's Most Wanted. But, when the producer called the Indianapolis police, the officers said Molly's case was not a top priority.

That was the last straw, Keri said.

Detectives were eventually assigned to Molly's case, but the Dattilo family continued to raise awareness of Molly's disappearance.

When Kelly Jolkowski, founder of ProjectJason.org, a non-profit foundation for missing persons, began campaigning for missing persons laws in other states, the Dattilo family "jumped on it," Keri said.

The family initially lobbied with five Indiana senators. The senator that spearheaded Molly Dattilo's Law thought it would stand a better chance in the House.

During the first court hearing, the Dattilos and other families of missing persons gave their testimonies.

"Now we're like a family," Keri said. "The family of the Indiana missing."

If passed, the law will go into effect July 1, five days before the third anniversary of Molly's disappearance.

"It will at least give us something good to think about," Keri said.

And, through the new law, one of Molly's wishes will be fulfilled, Keri added.

Keri sighted a line from Molly's diary: "I truly want to do something to better the world."

Reach Jenna at jenna_mink6@eku.edu

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