Missing Boy's Father Denies Child Abuse Allegations
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It has now been seven days since a Twin Cities boy got dropped off from school, but never made it home.
The only person named as a suspect in 10-year-old Barway Collins' disappearance is his own father, Pierre Collins -- and he insists he had nothing to do with it.
Collins' ex-wife has made statements claiming he abused her kids while they were married.
"She make allegations against me that I hurt, I abuse her kids," Collins said.
He showed WCCO a letter from the Hennepin County Attorney's office to prove she is not telling the truth.
"There was no proof, there was evidence that I did it, and they wrote her this letter," Collins said. "And for her to apologize for me, she sent me the letter telling me, 'Pierre, I'm sorry for what I've done to you.'"
Collins says he has two children with his ex-wife, but is also responsible for her two other kids.
"She had two older kids before I met her, and I adopted those children voluntarily," he said. "Wednesday, the same day my son go missing in the morning, I was in court for child support. I am paying child support for the two kids we have together and the other two kids that I adopted."
Collins says in the week since Barway's been missing, he hasn't slept or eaten much. He was very clear, however, when he was asked point-blank if he had anything to do with Barway's disappearance.
"I would never harm my son. I did every effort to bring my son to this county to become a good person, to learn more than me," Collins said. "What I didn't reach, he should reach there."
He also claims he's done all he can to help law enforcement get what they need to find his son.
"I gave them my car, I gave them my home computer, I gave them my iPod, I gave them my cell phone, I gave them half of my clothes, half of my shoes, even letters from the mail and I even did a DNA swab just to bring my son home," Collins said. "I'm doing everything they needed for me to bring my son home, and what did they give me in return? To be a suspect."
Barway came to Minnesota from Liberia in 2011, where he was living with his biological mother.
WCCO spoke with Pierre Collin's ex-wife by phone Wednesday. She stands by her allegations that Collins abused her children.
Crystal Police said early Wednesday evening that they have increased the reward in Barway's case to $12,000.
They also said two people seen in a surveillance video from the entryway of Barway' apartment on the day he went missing are likely not connected to the case.
A source close to the Hennepin County Sheriff's office told WCCO that a search near the Mississippi River near north Minneapolis Wednesday afternoon was connected to the investigation, but nothing of note was found.