Dad with joint custody arrested in missing infant case, 5-month-old son found dead (Pulaski, Virginia)

When we first reported on this case, we speculated that it sounded like a custody/visitation case. And it turns out we were correct. Sadly, the father abduction of this infant had a horrible end, with the apparent murder of the baby boy.

Interesting how the police don't find the custody situation relevant to the crime. This totally doesn't make sense, given how many vindictive and violent fathers murder children because they were provided access by the courts. Some judge GRANTED this father his custody rights, and because he had those rights, he was able to kill the victim. What needs to be revealed is whether there was a history of domestic violence and abuse that was ignored when the apparent killer daddy got his rights. The family courts needs to be held responsible for these horrible decisions.

Dad is identified as HOWARD SAMUEL COLE.

http://www.newsadvance.com/news/state/pulaski-man-arrested-infant-body-found/article_cfdda6d2-8a78-11e3-94b3-001a4bcf6878.html

Pulaski man arrested; infant body found

Police arrested Howard Samuel Cole on Thursday after a report that an infant was abused by his father.

Posted: Friday, January 31, 2014 8:08 am

Melissa Powell
The Roanoke Times

Pulaski police discovered the body of an infant Thursday night in Pulaski County after a daylong search for a 5-month-old boy. The search began after a man was arrested in Pulaski on Thursday morning on a child abuse charge.

On Wednesday, an arrest warrant was issued for Howard Samuel Cole, 31, on a charge of child abuse after police received information that an infant had been abused by his father on Sunday morning, authorities have said.

Howard Cole was apprehended Thursday morning by county sheriff’s office personnel. Cole was found about 10:30 a.m. near the Walmart in Fairlawn, according to Pulaski Police Chief Gary Roche.

Roche said Howard Cole’s son, Cory Samuel Cole, was last seen with his father in the town about 7 p.m. Monday.

Before he was taken into custody, Cole had last been seen about 5 a.m. Wednesday — without his son — at the McDonald’s in Dublin in the 4600 block of Cleburne Boulevard.

Roche said officers searched Cole’s residence in the 200 block of Crestline Drive on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning. The car Cole had been driving was found at the McDonald’s in Dublin.

Roche said a missing and endangered child alert had been broadcast. When asked about the absence of an Amber Alert, Roche said “this set of circumstances met the protocols” for the alert that was issued.

An online missing poster for Cory — who was reported to have dirty blonde hair and blue eyes — was uploaded on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s website.

Roche said it was not immediately clear Thursday who had custody of the child.

“As far as I know, there is some form of shared custody but determining exactly what that legal status is, is not a priority at this point,” Roche wrote in an email on Thursday afternoon.

About 6:30 p.m. Pulaski police and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office investigated a rural, wooded area in Draper off of Old Route 100. At about 8:30 p.m. Roche said the body of an infant had been recovered in the area. Police have not confirmed that this is Cory Cole, but Roche said it does fit his description. The body will be taken to the medical examiner for proper identification.