A 6-year old boy is on his way back his mother’s Scranton home after authorities found him in Puerto Rico, where his father had taken him in violation of a court order, Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian J. Gallagher said Wednesday.
Frank Nellom, 65, of San Juan, faces felony charges of interfering with the custody of a child and concealing his whereabouts.
Authorities will bring Nellom back to Lackawanna County, where he will be prosecuted, Gallagher said.
According to a criminal complaint, on May 29, Nellom took his son for an approved two-day visit and was to return him to Dominique Suhow, the child’s mother, by 8 p.m. on May 31.
Suhow believed the visit was to take place in Philadelphia and that the child would remain in Pennsylvania. When Nellom didn’t return the boy by the agreed-upon time, Suhow contacted the Scranton police.
On June 3, Nellom sent a text to Suhow that included a photo of her son, saying that he was doing well and was in Puerto Rico.
Suhow called the Lackawanna County district attorney’s office to inquire as to how she could go about getting her son back.
She provided court paperwork indicating that she had full custody of her son.
The county DA’s office, county detectives, the United States Marshals Service, the county Office of Youth and Family Services and authorities in Puerto Rico began an investigation and located Nellom and the juvenile in Puerto Rico. The boy was turned over to Puerto Rico’s Administration for Families and Children, which is caring for him pending his return to his mother.
The district attorney’s office is working to facilitate the boy’s return to Pennsylvania.
Gallagher said he anticipates more charges will be filed and noted the investigation is ongoing.