The death of a 7-year-old Bullhead City boy with autism has prompted Mohave County leaders to look at better ways of protecting vulnerable residents before they go missing.

In June, search and rescue crews found the boy’s body in the Colorado River within 24 hours after he was reported missing.

It’s prompted the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office to consider creating a registry for vulnerable residents.

For example, the registry would allow families and caretakers in northwestern Arizona to voluntarily register a child with autism, or an adult with Alzheimer’s.

The plan is much like Chandler’s online “Return Me Safe” registry where individuals’ conditions and current photo are accessible to police officers responding to missing person calls.