Three-year-old Nathaniel Fons may be safe after being left at St. Patrick's Cathedral, but getting him back to his family may take a while: According to the Post, his paternal grandparents who raised him "may have to wait weeks to see him until the legal and custody issues surrounding his disappearance are sorted out." The boy is now in the custody of the Administration for Children's Services.
It's believed that Nathaniel was dropped off at St. Patrick's by Eleanor Black, a friend of his mother. (His mother Erin Comeau was arrested for counterfeiting when trying to use a fake $100 bill.) At first, Black asked a security guard to speak to a priest. When told she would need to go to the parish office, she disappeared...and then Nathaniel emerged. The Daily News reports that he had a note in his pocket with the phone number of a Florida detective and the boy said to the guards, "Hi, my name is Nate." Guard Robert Plumey said, "That was probably the saddest thing I've ever seen. Someone sending a kid in with a note saying call this person."
Police are looking for Black and William Scott, who cared for the boy when his mother was arrested and they believe were in on the counterfeiting scam. The paid also used to live in Brooklyn and the Post points out that Black's father killed a NYPD cop. Nathaniel's paternal grandfather said that Comeau signed over custody to him and his wife, "We are very, very anxious to get to him, and we can't wait to see him. We have a room ready for him, and a new car seat, and we want to bring him home."
