HILLSDALE, N.J.—From tragedy, the community continues to circle for the collective good more than four decades after a horrific Hillsdale crime set in motion events still reverberating throughout society.
At the Joan’s Joy Child Safety Fest on Sept. 28, grassroots activists led by Rosemarie D’Alessandro—mother-turned-advocate after her daughter, Joan, 7, was killed by a borough neighbor in 1973—were joined by law enforcement, political supporters and dedicated volunteers. The event is held annually to give voice to the movement, which began to keep Joan’s killer in jail and transformed into advocacy around child safety legislation.
The landmark Joan’s Law mandates life in prison for anyone convicted of killing a child under 14 in conjunction with a sex crime. In New Jersey, it extends to victims 8 and younger.
The Joan’s Joy Foundation—which gets invaluable support from John and Michael
D’Alessandro and countless others in a growing movement— works to enrich the lives of kids in need through rewarding cultural experiences. For more information visit JoansJoy.org.
