HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Active for more than a year in Virginia, the CODI Alert has been used 40 times, and each time, the child has been found.

The state launched the AMBER Alert alternative last year following the 2021 death of 3-year-old Codi Bigsby in Newport News. 

According to Virginia State Police, of the 40 CODI Alerts issued so far this year, all 40 of those children have been found.  

“The system is working,” said Hampton Commonwealth’s Attorney Anton Bell. “We’ve seen, 40-for-40, that’s a great number. And so we want to continue to keep that trend of success.” 

Bell explained there’s a need for the Virginia Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative (CODI) Alert in the Commonwealth. 

VSP officially launched the alert system last September. It was named in honor of Bigsby, who was never found after being reported missing in January 2022. 

“We needed something like a Codi Alert to be able to say, regardless of whether the child is abducted or just in trouble, we want to be able to alert the public and the community,” Bell said. “Be aware. Look out if you see this child, alert the authorities so that we can get the help that that child we believe needs.”

When Codi was reported missing, an AMBER Alert was not issued because police did not believe he was abducted.  

Now, a child has to be missing in suspicious circumstances and under the age of 17 or enrolled in a secondary school for a CODI Alert to be used.  

“The whole purpose of the alerts, whether it’s an Amber Alert or a CODI Alert, is to inform the community we have a missing child, and we have a missing child that may be in trouble,” Bell said.  

Bell hopes for even more community involvement with the program in future missing child cases.  

“We need the community to not only pay attention to these alerts, but respond,” Bell said. “If you see something that looks out of the way, that looks strange or looks really interesting, please respond and make sure that every potential tip is a potential find.”

With the addition of the CODI Alert, there are now a total of six alert programs that are available for activation by VSP. They include Amber Alerts, Senior Alerts, Critically Missing Adult Alerts, Missing Person with Autism Alerts and Blue Alerts.