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(Bellevue, WA) Since November 6, 2011, two year old Sky Metalwala has been missing. The toddler was left by his mother on the side of a Bellevue Washington thoroughfare inside of her vehicle, which she reported to have run out of gasoline. According to the mother, she left the toddler in the vehicle while she took his four year old sister for a one mile walk to a gas station to purchase fuel for the car. While at the gas station she contacted a friend, returned to the vehicle, and found the toddler “missing”. On the date of the alleged abduction, Sky’s four year old sister, Maile Metalwala was taken in to protective custody by the Washington State Department of Child Protective Services. She has been in the care of a Foster Family since then, according to a spokesperson from the organization.
The police took possession of the vehicle the child had been reportedly removed from, and ran tests. The vehicle started normally, and ran perfectly. The Police investigators even took the vehicle for a drive, it had no mechanical problems, and it did not run out of fuel. Additionally, Sky’s mother Julia Biryukova did not purchase gasoline, nor did her friend. There was no gas can or other container which fuel could have been transported in present at the scene or in the immediate area.
Sky’s mother Julia Biryukova has been less than cooperative with Bellevue Police. She provided outdated photographs of the child, has refused to speak with investigators since the initial report, essentially stonewalling any efforts to find her missing son. She has not been named as a suspect in his disappearance to date.
Meanwhile, the father of Sky and Maile Metalwala; Solomon Metalwala has been open, forthcoming, and helpful to authorities in attempts to locate his son. Mr. Metalwala has taken two polygraph examinations (the first was inconclusive due to Mr. Metalwala’s emotional state), which verified that he had no information as to the whereabouts of Sky. Mr. Metalwala has used the media to ask anyone with information to come forward. He has been cleared by the Bellevue Police and other agencies as a possible suspect in the disappearance of his son.
Julia Biryukova and Solomon Metalwala have been locked in a bitter divorce and custody battle for several months. According to Mr. Metalwala, Ms. Biryukova had offered to abandon all requests for support and parental responsibility if he would let her leave the state or the country. Ms. Biryukova reportedly has Family in Arizona, and The Ukraine. Mr. Metalwala refused the offer and an agreement which would be beneficial to the children and both parents was negotiated. Later, Ms. Biryukova reportedly had her attorney contact Mr. Mtealwala’s attorney and back out of the agreement stating she felt “pressured” to make the agreement.
Now that the investigation moves in to its third week, and neither parent is suspect in the case, Sky’s sister remains in foster care. While it seems reasonable that the child would be taken in to protective custody until each parent was cleared of suspicion by the Police, it seems unreasonable now that she is still in protective custody.
Most would argue that Maile Metalwala should not be returned to the care of Julia Biryukova as she has proven herself to be negligent and irresponsible by willingly leaving a two year old in an automobile, unattended on the side of a busy city street. Also, with Julia Biryukova’s behavior toward the investigation it is reasonable to believe that she may have something to hide. Furthermore, records have shown that she has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and has at times taken to obsessively cleaning her home for periods of over 10 hours, while neglecting to feed or care for her children.
On the other hand, there is Mr. Metalwala. He was not involved in abandoning Sky on the side of the road in an unattended vehicle, he has been cooperative with the police, and other investigators and has been active in the search for his son. There have been arguments that maybe he is being “too helpful”; though they are quickly dismissed when it is considered that he is the only parent actively searching for Sky.
The question is this: Why is Maile Metalwala still in state protective custody and not in the care of her Father? He has been cleared and cooperative, he is obviously deeply concerned; tearing up several times as he is interviewed about the case by police and the media. It would seem that Mr. Metalwala is a loving and concerned parent and not a risk to the well being of Maile.
It would seem reasonable to think that the State of Washington would be eager to place the four year old child with a parent who has so far proven to be fit and capable of being a responsible parent. Yet they continue to keep her in the care of a Foster Family, strangers. It would be reasonable to think that this compounded with the disappearance of her brother and the separation of her parents would have a severe emotional impact on a four year old child. But somehow that does not concern the Washington State Child Protective Services. Nor does it seem to concern the media. Of the four major network affiliates in the area (ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX) none of their “investigative reporters” have “investigated” that particular matter.
I believe that the State of Washington should be “held to the flame” on this matter. They should have to respond to the public for a few reasons. 1) They are keeping a child away from her parent(s) with no apparent justification 2) They are using tax dollars to provide care for a child who can be taken care of by one of her parents who has proven himself to be capable and fit. 3) They are causing undue emotional distress on a four year old child, who would fare much better in a familiar environment with a Family that loves her.
