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Foster Boy Disappears

September 14, 2010 permalink

When a single mother abandoned her son Ricky Wayne Broderick to CPS in Washington state, CPS put him in a group home but never notified father Larry Broderick. After a month in foster care, the boy has disappeared. The father was not told of the disappearance either; he found out by accident when inquiring about child support. The school says an unknown person, not one of the boy's regular foster parents, dropped Ricky off at school Monday morning but he did not attend classes. No one can tell dad where the boy stayed over the weekend. Father Larry does not know whether the boy disappeared Friday or Monday, and does not know whether he ran away or was abducted.

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Isabelle Zehnder
Missing Persons Examiner

Missing: Thirteen-year-old Puyallup, Wash., boy dropped off at school never makes it to classes

September 13, 2010 - Jennifer Mau with Guardians of the Children notified Examiner.com Monday evening that 13-year-old Ricky Wayne Broderick never showed up to his classes Monday after he was dropped off at Jason Lee Middles School in Puyallup, Wash.

The boy’s father, Larry Broderick, is the Vice-President of The Gargoyles, a Tacoma-based organization that helps abused children.

Larry, who has been trying to find his son for the past five years, learned three weeks ago that Ricky had been placed in state custody over a month ago because his mother abandoned him, and signed him over to the state.

Larry was due in court Monday or Tuesday to gain custody of his son. Scroll down for details.

According to Larry, Ricky has no history of running away.

If you have any information about Ricky please contact Pierce County Sheriff at (253) 798-4721 or call 911.

DESCRIPTION:

Name: Ricky Wayne Broderick
Age: 13
DOB: June 4, 1997
Height: 5’3”
Weight: 105-110 lbs. (slight build)
Eyes: Hazel blue eyes
Hair: Red/copper, shoulder-length
Activities: Avid skateboarder

Guardians of the Children are coordinating all searches and flier handouts for the family. Media contacts or volunteers should contact Jennifer Mau/Guardians of the Children at (360) 496-6065.

DETAILS:

Larry Broderick told Examiner.com Monday evening that according to Child Protective Services, Ricky was dropped off at school Monday morning but not by the foster parents he was placed with. The school is located at 602 N. Sprague in Tacoma.

“It’s confusing,” Larry said.

According to Larry, Ricky was put into state custody about a month and a half ago because his mother had abandoned him and his younger brother. The younger brother is not Larry’s child.

Larry said that several weeks ago Child Protective Services (CPS) was notified that Ricky’s mother was leaving the children alone. After watching the house for several days and observing that she was indeed leaving the children alone, CPS allegedly came and took the children from her.

Several days later Larry said their mother signed voluntary custody to the state.

“I don’t get it. They [CPS] know me. I’ve been looking for my son for the past five years. In the past year alone they [Ricky’s mother and two children] moved over 20 times. I can never find them. CPS and DSHS all know I’m looking for him,” Larry said.

Larry doesn’t understand why he was not contacted when Ricky was taken from his mother.

Ricky currently resides at the Cedar Wood Group Home in Puyallup, Wash., with foster parents. What’s confusing is that it wasn’t his foster parents who dropped him off to school Monday.

Even more confusing is the fact that Ricky was reported missing at 9:22 p.m. on Sept. 10, and yet his father is being told that he was dropped off at school Monday morning and never made it to classes.

Larry doesn’t know if his son ran away or if he was abducted.

The only reason Larry even knows that his son was reported missing Friday, and that he never made it to his classes Monday, was because he contacted the Department of Child Support Services to inquire about a notice he’d received saying his child support payments were stopping.

He learned then that Ricky’s mother had signed over custody of their son to the state. Larry then filed for custody of Ricky. He was due to appear in court Monday or Tuesday to gain custody of his son.

“I have no idea why they would not notify me when I’m the biological father and I’m completely involved. I just learned at about 3:30 p.m. Monday that my son was reported missing on Friday, but they [CPS] refused to give me any information.”

“I went in to CPS and talked with Edgar Dubose Monday. He told me Ricky never made it to his classes today, and that he had been dropped off to school by an unknown foster parent,” Larry said.

“I also have no idea why someone other than his caregivers dropped him off at school today. CPS isn’t telling me anything and they say they don’t know anything outside of what this person [foster parent who dropped Ricky off Monday] told them on the phone. They won’t tell me who the person is. It makes no sense and it makes me feel like he might have been abducted on Friday.

“My son was reported missing to the Tacoma Police Department but neither CPS nor the police department contacted me. I only learned about my son’s disappearance because I called about the notice I received about child support,” Larry said.

“He was in CPS custody for over a month and no one contacted me though they all know I’ve been actively looking for my son,” Larry said.

“It’s unclear who Ricky was with over the weekend. He was reported missing on Friday, yet was dropped off to school on Monday by another foster family. Dubose told me that he spent the weekend with another foster parent, and that one of the children in that foster parent’s care, has a child who is friends with Ricky. He sounded unclear and would provide no names and no other information,” Larry said.

“Right now I feel like I’m losing my mind. I’ve searched for him for years, I was so close, and now he’s gone in a different way. I’m scared to death. I’m worried. I don’t know what to do. I’ve been running around town getting a hold of everyone I know.

“I’m the Vice President for the Gargoyles Protectors of Children. We give kids support and help to prevent abuse and neglect. We focus a lot on predators and reoffending abusers. We help kids who need help, whether they’re abuse victims or not. If they need someone to talk to, to go to court with, whatever they need. Now it’s unreal that it’s my son who’s missing,” he said.

“I contacted Tacoma Police Department this evening to make my own police report, because I initially thought none had been made. Right now, we’re going to start posting fliers. I’m in contact with the sheriff’s dispatch and they’re sending a deputy out.

“I’m demanding they look at the school surveillance video to be sure he was even dropped off to school this morning.

“We need to eliminate some of the questions and find out if he’s a runaway or if he’s been abducted. I’ve given Ricky directions to where I live but I don’t think he’d know how to get to my home. I’ve given him my numbers and address. I hope if he could he would contact me,” Larry said.

“I’m scared he was abducted or that his mom went to the school and took him. I don’t want to make assumptions. It’s hard when it’s your own kid,” Larry said.

Source: National Examiner

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