A 4-year-old North Olmsted boy who is autistic and non-verbal has been found safe in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico, after a multiagency search that spanned more than a week and crossed over 1,800 miles. Local officials say the child is physically unharmed and has been returned to the care of family while legal and extradition proceedings play out.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, task-force officers in Puerto Rico tracked down the boy and his mother, 37-year-old Evelyn Otero, in the coastal municipality of Guayanilla and took Otero into custody without incident. The Marshals coordinated closely with Puerto Rico police during the operation, the agency said.
As reported by WKYC, the child was first reported missing on March 16, when his father contacted the North Olmsted Police Department. Investigators later located Otero’s vehicle in the area and found her home empty before the pair turned up in Puerto Rico. WKYC reports that Otero was charged on March 23 with eight counts of interference with custody and remains in custody pending extradition to Cuyahoga County.
Pete Elliott, a U.S. Marshals official, praised the work that went into finding the child, saying, "We are thankful for yet another quick and safe recovery after an incredible investigation by members of the SPEAR unit." His comments highlighted how quickly the cross-jurisdiction team was able to zero in on the mother and child.
Legal Road Ahead
Otero faces eight counts of interference with custody filed in Cuyahoga County, and those allegations have not been proven in court. She is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Prosecutors will handle formal charging decisions and manage the extradition process from Puerto Rico, and no court dates have been publicly set, according to WKYC.
How Agencies Worked Together
Officials say the case shows how quickly multiagency task forces can move when a child is believed to be in danger. North Olmsted police, federal marshals and Puerto Rico law enforcement traced Otero’s movements, including her vehicle, before locating the boy in Guayanilla.
North Olmsted police and federal authorities have asked the public to give the family space as the legal case unfolds. Anyone with information connected to the investigation is urged to contact the North Olmsted Police Department.
