As court date looms, Giovanni’s mother laments ‘I need him’

LYNN – The mother of a local boy missing for three months will be in court next Tuesday, hoping Giovanni Gonzalez’ father finally reveals the 5-year-old’s whereabouts.The support of family and friends and promises by police to solve Giovanni’s disappearance have kept Daisy Colon from losing hope she will see her son again.”I need him,” she said Wednesday.District Attorney’s spokes-man Steve O’Connell echoed her pleas for continued public assistance in helping police find the boy.”We’re renewing our plea to the public to come forward with any detail no matter how insignificant it might be,” O’Connell said.The East Boston kindergartner has not been seen since his father’s neighbors saw him playing outside 2 Brightwood Terrace on Aug. 16. Colon went to pick him up at Ernesto Gonzalez’ apartment a day later and summoned police after she could not locate her son.Ernesto Gonzalez told police he never saw the boy that weekend and, according to the District Attorney’s office, he has not provided more information on the boy’s whereabouts or fate since Aug. 17.Gonzalez pleaded innocent to a child-endangerment charge on Aug. 18 and is due back in court on Nov. 18.Colon hoped prior to her son’s disappearance that prolonged efforts to stabilize the boy’s relationship with Gonzalez would coincide with Giovanni starting kindergarten in East Boston.Gonzalez pushed over the summer for visitation but Colon objected, pointing out that he had failed to consistently attend counseling sessions aimed at assuring both parents underscored the same values and disciplinary tone with Giovanni.”I said, ‘You keep going in and out of his life. I don’t want – boom – you’re out of his life again,'” Colon said.They met on July 31 at the Boston Street Burger King in Lynn to discuss visitation and Colon’s concerns. The meeting led to two weekend visits by Giovanni to his father’s home. The stays were incident-free and Colon dropped her son off in Lynn on Aug. 15 anticipating a similar weekend.Questioned by police two days later, Gonzalez said he did not have Giovanni with him and had not seen him since the previous week. Police arrested him after confirming a call logged on Colon’s cell phone indicating she had contacted Gonzalez on Aug. 15.