Grace Schoegler stood in the Indiana Statehouse again last month, wearing her Miss Fort Wayne crown and carrying scars no one could see. This time, lawmakers listened. The bill she has pushed for years, one that dramatically increases prison sentences for child predators, is now law.

The 23-year-old beauty queen calls it the biggest win of her life. And she is not stopping here.

A Crime That Stole Her Childhood

Grace was only 14 when an anonymous predator targeted her on a website that allowed users to hide behind fake names. Explicit images of her circulated for years. Because the site refused to reveal the abuser’s identity, police could not make an arrest.

“I was told there was nothing they could do,” Grace told 21Alive after the bill signing. “That destroyed me. I felt worthless.”

She carried that pain silently until she won the Miss Fort Wayne title in 2024. Instead of hiding, she decided to weaponize her story.

“I realized my voice is louder with this crown,” she said. “If I can stop even one kid from feeling what I felt, I will scream from every rooftop I can find.”

What the New Law Actually Does

The legislation Grace championed closes loopholes that previously allowed some offenders to serve as little as two years for possessing child sexual abuse material.

Key changes now in effect across Indiana:

• First-time possession of child pornography: minimum 10 years, no probation
• Distribution or creation: 20 to 40 years, no early release
• Using anonymous platforms to exploit minors: automatic sentence enhancement
• Tech companies that knowingly enable anonymity for predators face massive fines

Governor Eric Holcomb signed the bill on March 10, 2026, surrounded by survivors and law enforcement. He specifically thanked Grace Schoegler by name during the ceremony.

The Tragedy That Lit the Fire

Seventeen-year-old Hailey Buzbee from Fort Wayne took her own life in late 2025 after being viciously exploited online. Her case exposed how easily predators hide behind anonymous accounts and apps.

Hailey’s mother, Jennifer Buzbee, stood beside Grace at the Statehouse multiple times.

“Hailey should still be here,” Jennifer said through tears after the signing. “This law is her legacy. Grace made sure my daughter’s name means something.”

Fort Wayne police say reported online exploitation cases against minors jumped 42% in the last two years. Nationally, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received 32 million reports of child sexual abuse material in 2025 alone.

Not Done Yet: Grace Takes Aim at Washington

Fresh off the Indiana victory, Grace already has her next target.

She is drafting letters to every member of Congress from Indiana, urging them to support the Renewed Hope Act, a federal bill that would create a national registry of convicted online predators and force social media companies to disable anonymity features used in child exploitation cases.

“I got justice for future kids in Indiana,” Grace said. “Now I want it for every child in America.”

She plans to travel to Washington D.C. this spring, still wearing her crown.