07-23-2011, 04:51 PM
so glad the man had a good heart despite his problems.
July 23, 2011
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- A 4-year-old Kissimmee boy who had been missing for a week will be turned over to the Department of Children and Families after an emergency custody hearing was held Saturday morning.
WFTV was at the hearing where a DCF worker explained to the Judge that they were unable to locate any relatives or family that could take custody of the young boy.
The decision to put the boy in DCF custody came a day after he was found safe with a man, and a week after his mother was arrested in Orange County.
Just before noon on Friday, police said they found Tatum Contosta with a man at the Walgreens near Sandlake Road and Orange Blossom Trail.
The boy was with a friend of his mother's at the time because she had been arrested for prostitution. WFTV learned that she never reported her son missing.
The man who took care of the boy for seven days gave details about how he knows the boy's mother and for how long, but he said the boy cried for his mother every day.
Police said 4-year-old Contosta was found safe and sound at a Walgreen's in Orange County after a WFTV viewer said she recognized the boy from WFTV’s newscast and called 911.
Contosta was with Silverio Irizarry, the man Contosta’s mother left him with at a Kissimmee motel eight days ago. The mother said she'd be right back, but ended up getting arrested in Orange County that day for prostitution.
Irizarry said he had no idea where she was all that time.
“He cried for his mother,” said Irizarry.
Irizarry told WFTV on Friday he had no money, but friends took him and the boy in off the streets, and people he ran into donated food.
“The boy eats like an adult. He really likes pizza, and cheeseburgers,” said Irizarry.
DCF said someone reported concerns for Contosta’s well being the day after the mother’s arrest. DCF talked with her, but she said she was not concerned about Contosta and that she had left him with Irizarry.
DCF tried for days to make contact with Irizarry at a motel and Thursday reported the child missing to Kissimmee police.
“He's going to be with a loving foster family,” said Carrie Hoeppner, DCF spokeswoman.
Police said they don't plan to charge the man and they said he did the best that he could under the circumstances.
July 23, 2011
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- A 4-year-old Kissimmee boy who had been missing for a week will be turned over to the Department of Children and Families after an emergency custody hearing was held Saturday morning.
WFTV was at the hearing where a DCF worker explained to the Judge that they were unable to locate any relatives or family that could take custody of the young boy.
The decision to put the boy in DCF custody came a day after he was found safe with a man, and a week after his mother was arrested in Orange County.
Just before noon on Friday, police said they found Tatum Contosta with a man at the Walgreens near Sandlake Road and Orange Blossom Trail.
The boy was with a friend of his mother's at the time because she had been arrested for prostitution. WFTV learned that she never reported her son missing.
The man who took care of the boy for seven days gave details about how he knows the boy's mother and for how long, but he said the boy cried for his mother every day.
Police said 4-year-old Contosta was found safe and sound at a Walgreen's in Orange County after a WFTV viewer said she recognized the boy from WFTV’s newscast and called 911.
Contosta was with Silverio Irizarry, the man Contosta’s mother left him with at a Kissimmee motel eight days ago. The mother said she'd be right back, but ended up getting arrested in Orange County that day for prostitution.
Irizarry said he had no idea where she was all that time.
“He cried for his mother,” said Irizarry.
Irizarry told WFTV on Friday he had no money, but friends took him and the boy in off the streets, and people he ran into donated food.
“The boy eats like an adult. He really likes pizza, and cheeseburgers,” said Irizarry.
DCF said someone reported concerns for Contosta’s well being the day after the mother’s arrest. DCF talked with her, but she said she was not concerned about Contosta and that she had left him with Irizarry.
DCF tried for days to make contact with Irizarry at a motel and Thursday reported the child missing to Kissimmee police.
“He's going to be with a loving foster family,” said Carrie Hoeppner, DCF spokeswoman.
Police said they don't plan to charge the man and they said he did the best that he could under the circumstances.