Michigan woman with Down syndrome inspires federal push to shield vulnerable adults from online abuse

U.S. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) and Haley Stevens (D-Birmingham) are leading a new federal push to crack down on online predators who target adults with disabilities, inspired by the case of a Michigan woman with Down syndrome whose family could not find justice under existing law.

The legislation is named for Allie Hayes, a Michigan woman with Down syndrome who was targeted by an online predator in 2017. Because Hayes was over 18, her family discovered there was no clear legal pathway to hold the perpetrator accountable. Her parents, Dawn and Mark Hayes, have spent nearly a decade pushing for changes in both state and federal law.

Their efforts helped lead Michigan’s Justice for Allie law, written by state Rep. Sharon MacDonnell (D-Troy) and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2023 after winning unanimous support in the Legislature. The new bill would implement the model nationwide.

“The internet is everywhere — we cannot let online predators evade prosecution simply because their crimes cross state lines,” Stevens said in a statement.