Missing Child Alert Issued For 3 Year Old Luke Finch from Cocoa, FL … Possible Parental Abduction by Paul Martikainen (Update: Boy Found Safe)
Florida authorities have issued a “Missing Child Alert” for 3 year old Luke Finch. Police are saying that they believe this to be a parental abduction. Luke Finch went missing on November 28, 2009. The child may be in the company of 35 year old Paul Martikainen. Martikainen is the boys father who was in the middle of a court appointed visit with his son when Paul Martikainen abducted Luke Finch.
Paul Martikainen (left), Luke Finch (rt)
Officials say Luke Finch, was last seen in the area of Taylor Park at Harrison & Delannoy Street in Cocoa Florida, wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and black and red fire engine sneakers.
- Luke Finch, He stands about 2 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 33 pounds and has blond hair and blue eyes.
- The boy was last seen in the area of Taylor Park at Harrison and Delannoy streets in Cocoa, wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and black and red fire engine sneakers.
- The child may be in the company of Paul Martikainen, 35, and the pair may be traveling in a green Ford Explorer with a dented rear bumper and tag number 142KEA, police said.
- Martikainen is described as a white male, standing 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing 176 pounds, with blond hair and green eyes.
- Martikainen has a tattoo of a cross with Jesus and tribal tattoos on his back and a tribal tattoo on one of his thighs
Martikainen was under supervision because of a prior history of child abuse allegations against his son.
Anyone with information regarding the location of the boy is asked to contact the Cocoa Police Department at 321-639-7620.
Update I: Police still search for man wanted for abducting 3-year-old son from Cocoa
Investigators said this afternoon they are considering expanding the search statewide with the help of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, after receiving several tips and reports of sightings of Luke outside Brevard County. A Florida missing-child alert has been issued for the boy, Cocoa police said.
The father-son visit was being monitored by a court-appointed supervisor because of previous allegations of child abuse against the boy, police said. Martikainen managed to elude the supervisor, and he and the boy have not been seen since 1 p.m., police said.
UPDATE II: Arrest Warrant Issued for Paul Martikainen
A “Missing Child Alert” has been issued for Luke Finch as well as an arrest warrant for the tot-dad, Paul Martikainen. It is believed that the two are on a sail boat sailing in the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard has deployed fixed wing air craft and have asked boaters to be on the look out for any sightings of a battleship gray sailboat.
UPDATE III: Missing Dad, Son May Have Left St. Pete in Sailboat
Late Saturday, a witness called authorities and said they had seen Martikainen’s Ford Explorer at the Salt Creek Marina, said Cocoa Police Department spokeswoman Barbara Matthews.
Police found the Explorer at the St. Petersburg marina and interviewed witnesses who reported seeing Martikainen and the boy get into a 32-foot gray Bristol sailboat.
“We found out (Martikainen) had a boat there and people saw Paul and Luke in a dinghy going out to a boat,” Matthews said.
UPDATE IV: Luke Finch Found Safe, Reunited with Mother
The three-day search for a 3-year-old Cocoa boy abducted by his father during a supervised visit at Riverfront Park ended today with his safe recovery from a sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico.
Three-year-old Luke Finch, whom authorities said was abducted by his father and taken to sea, was reunited with his mother Christa Finch in Fort Myers Beach, the U.S. Coast Guard announced this afternoon.
Finch was rescued this morning about 140 miles southwest of Fort Myers Beach on 32-foot sailboat operated by his father Paul Martikainen.
Petty Officer 1st Class Mariana O’Leary said the sailboat sank as it was being towed to the Coast Guard Station on Fort Myers Beach.
No one was hurt.
Missing boy, father rescued today by Coast Guard
Just so everyone knows. there is always 2 sides to any story. Yes he took this child but i can assure you that boy is safe and would never be harmed. i wish everyone would quit making it look like he was abusive. HE WAS “ACCUSED” of abuse. All charges were dismissed every time. the mother would bring charges just to try to keep him away from his son for vengeful reasons. and i can assure that all of you know some woman doing the same thing. It’s not fair the hoops that the courts make men jump through just to see their son. This is why this happens. He’s been fighting for rights to his son for over 2 years. So don’t be so quick to throw stones at someone you don’t know and a story you only hear one side of. The mother does not think he would truley hurt that baby-she brought that child to him to be a part of his life. Ask her why if he’s so damn abusive!
Comment by rem | November 29, 2009
Yes they are abuse allegations; however, kidnapping a child is no way to prove one’s caring or innocence.
I would dare say he just made his life a lot more complicated.
Comment by Administrator | November 30, 2009
[...] year old Luke Finch has been missing since November 28, 2009 when he was reportedly a victim of a parental abduction by 35 year old Paul Martikainen. Luke Finch [...]
Pingback by Police Still Searching for Missing 3 Year Old Luke Finch, Parental Abduction … Arrest Warrant Issued for Paul Martikainen | Scared Monkeys | November 30, 2009
Kindly to comment #1 make sure you have your facts straight as of Nov 25th “CONFIRMED”
No loving father would venture into the gulf of mexico with no boating experience especially this time of year with cold fronts making the water very dangerous.
Comment by tom | December 1, 2009
I belong to an extensive biker site.Luke’s picture as well as his father’s picture is being circulated throughout the state of Florida as well as the US. And yes, there are two sides to every story…however, the fear that this child must be feeling right now breaks my heart!!
We will do all that we can to bring him home safely!!
Comment by Kat | December 1, 2009
Just an update. The boy has been found in good health and returned to his mother who, Who is being relocated by the FBI for her and her sons safety. Even though he will spend minimum 10 yrs in jail for the abduction the authorities also know he had no intention of being a father, he was taking the child out of spite and dropping him off at his parents who live in finland. He was also an inexperienced boater and was so bussy trying to make his flight in mexico. that he was unaware of a storm comming his way that would have totaled the boat and possably drowned them both before they arived. Thank you Jesus for protecting him from himself, and protecting the boy, and that both are safe from harm. Thank you U.S. Coast guard. May God Bless all, involved in his return.
Comment by Toni | December 2, 2009