Mother Says Missing Autistic Brooklyn Teen Spent Weekend At Times Square Dave & Busters
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The mother of a 14-year-old autistic boy from Brooklyn who was found safe after he disappeared on Friday said her son spent the weekend playing games at Dave & Busters in Times Square, 1010 WINS reports.
Eliceo Cortez was found in good health in the area of Oriental Boulevard around 7 a.m. Monday, police said. Sources said a school guidance counselor heading to work spotted Eliceo on the street, CBS 2's Andrea Grymes reported.
"I'm glad he's home, that's the main thing," his mother, Nancy Reavis, said. "He was all weekend, he was at Dave & Busters, he said, and in the park right here in Brooklyn."
It's been an emotional roller coaster for the teen's family since he disappeared last week. Eliceo was last seen on surveillance video getting onto a Q train at the Sheepshead Bay subway station around 2:30 p.m. Friday.
"I don't know how they didn't see him in Manhattan if the fliers were at 42nd Street," Reavis said.
Brooklyn Family Continues Search For Missing Autistic Teen
Reavis and others spent the weekend walking the streets and handing out fliers in hopes of finding the missing teen.
She said Eliceo went to the train station after leaving nearby Leon Goldstein High School. She said her son apparently got on a city bus instead of the school bus, 1010 WINS' Al Jones reported.
Reavis said she won't be sending her son back to school until a monitor is assigned to make sure he gets on the right bus. She said she recently pleaded with school officials about getting a para-professional for her son, CBS 2's Diane Macedo reported.
"I spoke to his counselor and they said 'yes, we're going to do something, we're going to do something,'" she said. "This is what has to happen so they can help me?"
Reavis said that the situation should have been addressed before the teen went missing.
"It should have been in process a long time ago. This should have never taken place," she said.
City Department of Education officials did not comment on those allegations, but said in a statement the department was "deeply concerned" about Eliceo's well-being and was in contact with police and his mother.
CBS 2 tried to speak with School Chancellor Carmen Farina at an event on Monday, but she declined.
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