Ex-stepmom of missing Barway Collins suspected father 'from day one'
Jennifer Beaver, Barway Collins' former stepmother, says she suspected Barway's father, Pierre Collins, had something to do with the incident "from day one." The Crystal Police Department has named Collins as a suspect in the 10-year-old boy's disappearance.
Slideshow: More photos of Barway
'I believed he had something to do with it'
"I figured from day one, I said it from day one, that I believed he had something to do with it," Beaver said.
Beaver said she last spoke to the boy two weeks ago, and said she was a part of the boy's life for five years before she and Collins split.
"I took care of him, I helped get him here from Liberia, I helped take care of him, I nurtured him, I took care of him when he was sick, I brought him to school, went to his conferences, everything," Beaver said. "I was mommy."
"I'll be honest with you, Pierre hurt my children, so what's stopping him from hurting Barway?"
Beaver said Uncle could be anybody and that Collins had many friends that Barway and her own children called "Uncle."
"We want to know where Barway is, if he's safe, we want to know, we want to know that he's ok. He doesn't deserve to be hurt in anyway, he's such a sweet little boy, he is, and my heart it just completely broken," Beaver said.
Last seen Wednesday
Barway was last seen on Wednesday, March 18 after exiting his school transportation van near the Cedarwood Apartments on the 5400 block of Douglas Drive North. Crystal Police Chief Stephanie Revering said Pierre Collins saw Barway when he got out of the van. Surveillance video shows Barway looking out the window, saying, "There's my dad" and, "Oh, my uncle's here."
Anybody who may know who Barway is referring to as his uncle is asked to call 911 or Hennepin County Dispatch at 952-258-5321.
Dad took lie detector test
"I would never do that do my son. Where we come from, our African culture, we don't do that to children, we protect them until they grow and they go on their own," he said.
Police looking for 2 spotted on camera
Crystal police issued a photo of two people who may or may not be connected to the disappearance of Barway Collins. The photo was taken at the front entrance of the Cedarwood Apartments. If you know who they are and where they might be, let them know police want to speak with them.
Barway Collins is approximately 5 feet tall and 80 pounds. He was wearing a white t-shirt, black pants and carrying a red and gray backpack.
The Crystal Crime Prevention Board is now offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the disappearance of Barway Collins. Anybody with information is asked to call 911 or Hennepin County Dispatch at 952-258-5321.