Crystal Police: Missing Boy's Father Is A Suspect
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Crystal police say the father of a missing 10-year-old boy is now considered a suspect in his disappearance.
Chief Stephanie Revering said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that Pierre Collins, father of Barway Collins, failed a lie detector test, and has not been honest with police during their investigation. Hennepin County investigators spent an hour interviewing Pierre earlier Tuesday at his apartment.
In surveillance video from the school transportation service van that Barway was on before his disappearance on March 18, Barway is heard saying, "There's my dad. Oh, there's my uncle."
As he got off the bus at the Cedarwood Apartment complex on the 5400 block of Douglas Drive North, Barway can be seen walking towards the building, but then it appears that someone calls over to him from the parking lot.
Revering says Pierre has not revealed the name of the uncle to investigators, and they are trying to locate him for questioning.
"The father and the party described as an 'uncle' are likely the last known people to have seen Barway," Revering said. "Unfortunately, we have reason to believe that Barway's father has not been completely truthful with us."
Pierre is not in custody and spoke with WCCO-TV Tuesday evening, saying he had nothing to do with his son's disappearance.
Police said earlier in the day they are offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for Barway's disappearance. Twenty-five billboards have been put up around the metro in the effort to help locate the fourth grader.
Collins is described as about 5 feet tall and weighing about 80 pounds. He was wearing a white T-shirt, black pants and was carrying a red and grey backpack at the time.
Dozens of people showed their support by handing out fliers and gathering in prayer at a vigil Monday night outside the Cedarwood Apartment complex.
Investigators are not sure if the uncle that Barway referred to in the video is an actual blood relative or a close family friend, and they are asking people in the Liberian community to come forward if they know the man's identity.
Anyone who has information about the case or believes they might know where Collins is should call 911 or Hennepin County Dispatch at (952) 258-5321.