HILLSDALE, N.J. — In the aftermath of an arrest in the Etan Patz case, a parent is fighting to keep the man convicted of killing her daughter behind bars. Joseph McGowan was found guilty of abducting and killing seven-year-old Joan D'Alessandro nearly four decades ago and for the past 20 years, Joan's mother, Rosemary, has been advocating for law changes of convicted child murderers. Named after her daughter, Joan's Law currently carries a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for convicted killers of children under the age of 14.

Rosemary is now pushing for an amendment to Joan's Law, under which court appeals would be denied to any person found guilty of sexually molesting and murdering any child under the age of 18.