Missing 9-month-old son of custodial dad found dead; dad waited two weeks to report baby's disappearance (Utica, New York)

Mothers, please don't leave your babies with sperm donors, especially sperm donors with violent criminal records.  They make terribly infant caretakers, and should never have custody. Almost any older female relative is a much better choice, statistically speaking. Unfortunately, the courts will fail to back you up on this should the sperm donor object.

Dad is idnetified as JEVON WAMELING.

We're reported on this case before.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2429115/Levon-Wameling-dead-Body-baby-boy-reported-missing-June-container-New-York-state-river.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Body of baby boy reported missing in June is found in container in New York state river after tip off

The remains of Levon Wameling, 9 months, were found in a container in an upstate New York river on September 6

His father Jevon Wameling reported him missing in June, two weeks after he disappeared

 Medical examiner hasn't released cause of death and the investigation into who killed him is ongoing

Jevon had custody while Levon's mother Amy Warney was in drug rehab

By Anna Sanders

PUBLISHED:12:02 EST, 22 September 2013| UPDATED: 12:02 EST, 22 September 2013

The body of missing baby boy has been discovered in a container in an upstate New York river.

Authorities confirmed on Saturday that remains found near Utica earlier this month belonged to 10-month-old Levon Wameling.

In June, Levon's father, Jevon Wameling, told his parents, who then told police, the child was taken from his porch two weeks earlier but he failed to report his son missing at the time.

State police divers found the child's body in the Mohawk River on September 6, after a tip off.

Following extensive DNA testing, the Onondaga County medical examiner's office in Syracuse verified the baby was Levon, police said on Saturday.

The medical examiner, however, hasn't provided a cause of death, CNN reported.

Sergeant Steve Hauck said the police were determined to get to the bottom of the baby's death.

'The Utica Police continue to investigate this case, with the hope that the truth will be learned and the person(s) responsible are held accountable,' Hauck said in a statement.

Last month, Wameling was arrested on suspicion of breaking into a home in a suburb of Utica to steal jewelry and money.

Hauck hasn't said whether the father had anything to do with the tip leading police to the remains. He did however say police had questions about the man's involvement from the start.

In June, Levon's mother, Amy Warney, pleaded for help finding her son, who was last seen May 29 by his father.

Wameling, 27, waited nearly two weeks to report his son missing, according to the The Utica Observer-Dispatch.

'I would like to ask anybody that's out there if you know where he is, or if he's alive or dead, just please call the Utica police Station so I can just put him to rest,' Warney said through tears at a June news conference.

Dead: Police in Utica, New York, discovered the body of missing 9-month-old Levon Wameling, right, on September 6, months after his father Jevon Wameling finally reported him missing

'Just please, don't be scared. Just if you know anything, just please contact somebody.'

Levon's grandparents reported him missing to the Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, who immediately notified police, according to WKTV.

After his son was reported missing, Wameling told police Levon disappeared two weeks earlier when Wameling left the baby unattended on the front porch wearing nothing but a diaper. Wameling said he left the baby alone while he was trying to get back into his home after locking himself out.

Police said Wameling came forward only after Levon's mother asked where her child was.

'Here's the thing, we have a problem with what he says,' Utica Chief Mark Williams said at the time.

'Here’s a guy that waited two weeks to come forward. He doesn't bring it forward to the police, but brings it forward to his parents. Instead he goes to an attorney's office. I think actions speak louder than words.'

A large scale search ensued for the boy with a state police helicopter hovering over the neighborhood where Levon was last seen and K-9 units continued to hunting for him on the ground.

In addition to state and local authorities, the FBI, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the U.S. Marshals Service and the Oneida County District Attorney's Office assisted in the search effort.

Williams told CNN that the father's delay is only making it harder for them to find the child.

'When you have a missing child, there's all these difficult cases,' he said. 'But when you're two weeks behind, it's nearly impossible.'

Despite the father's 'suspicious' behavior, authorities' focus has been to find Levon.

'We obviously have very grave concerns about the child. First and foremost, is where this child?' Hauck told YNN at the time. 'We need to know what happened. Wherever the evidence leads us is where we're going to go. If we find a crime was committed, then we're going to take appropriate steps to bring that person to justice. But right now, our biggest concern is finding this child.'

Though he is not a suspect, police said they are are treating Wameling as a 'person of interest'.

Levon was staying with his father while Warney was at a drug rehabilitation facility, police said.

'As far as she knew, the child was being cared for by Jevon and was doing fine,' Hauck told The Observer-Dispatch.

Levon's father has a criminal history.

Wameling was charged with resisting arrest, escaping police custody and harassment in May 2010 after being arrested for allegedly possessing metal knuckles, according to WKTV.

In 2009, he was convicted of marijuana possession. Neighbors told the station the cops were called to Wameling's home on a 'weekly basis' because of screaming.