Father of missing Lynn boy indicted for parental kidnapping

SALEM – The father of a missing Lynn boy, who has refused to talk to law enforcement officials since Giovanni Gonzalez was reported missing in August, was indicted Wednesday afternoon by an Essex County Grand Jury for parental kidnapping and willfully misleading a person in the furtherance of a continuing investigation.If found guilty of willfully misleading a person, Gonzalez could serve up to a maximum of 10 years. If found guilty for parental kidnapping, Gonzalez could serve up to one year.Essex County District Attorney spokesman Steve O’Connell said Gonzalez would be arraigned on both charges at Salem Superior Court this morning at 9:30.The indictment of Ernesto Gonzalez, 36, of 2 Brightwood Terrace #2, Lynn, comes on the heels of a confession he made to a newspaper reporter the day before Thanksgiving and a search of an undisclosed area Nov. 28.Click here to see a timeline of events surrounding the disappearance of Giovanni Gonzalez.The indictment states that Gonzalez “Willfully misled a police officer and or investigator who was furthering a criminal investigation, grand jury proceeding, or other criminal proceeding of any type.” The indictment for parental kidnapping states, “Being a relative of Giovanni Gonzalez, a child under 18 years of age, and without lawful authority, did hold or intend to hold said child permanently or for a protracted period, or did take or entice said child from his lawful custodian.”Giovanni Gonzalez, 5, was reported missing by his mother, Daisy Colon, 33, of East Boston, Sunday, Aug. 16. She told police she dropped off her son at Gonzalez’ home Friday night (Aug. 14) for a prearranged weekend visit. She returned to pick him up Sunday night, but when she arrived Gonzalez said their son wasn’t with him.While members of Lynn and State Police as well as FBI officials searched the city and reviewed surveillance tapes of airports in Boston and Puerto Rico, Essex County First Assistant District Attorney John Dawley said early on in the investigation that Ernesto Gonzalez was their main concern.”Our focus has been on this defendant and no one else,” Dawley said Monday, Aug. 17. “We have a 5-year-old boy who disappeared (and) we have a father who for all intents and purposes will not cooperate.”Police responding to Colon’s call initially could not locate Gonzalez. Firefighters eventually gained entry through a window to his second floor apartment. Police knocked on a closed bedroom door and Gonzalez opened the door dressed only in boxer shorts.He told officers he had not seen his son since Aug. 10. Colon let them examine her cell phone and verify she spoke with Gonzalez on Aug. 15. He was charged with child endangerment and pleaded innocent in Lynn District Court on Aug. 18.The boy was living in East Boston with his mother. Gonzalez, 36, lived alone in his downtown apartment where neighbors described him as standoffish.According to Dawley, neighbors reported seeing Giovanni and his dad playing ball together during the August weekend, despite the father’s claims that he didn’t see his son at all.In addition, Dawley said Gonzalez refused to tell police how he suffered a noticeable laceration to his left finger. In court, Monday, Aug. 17 the prosecutor said Gonzalez has a previous conviction of assault and battery with a knife.”(It) gives us cause for concern,” Dawley said.Gonzalez had pushed over the summer to spend time with his son but Colon objected, pointing out that Ernesto Gonzalez had failed to consistently attend counseling sessions aimed at assuring both parents underscored the same values and disciplinary tone with Giovanni.The pair met 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 two visits were incident free.The Center for Missing and Exploited Children displayed posters across Massachusetts and in Puerto Rico in response to reports Giovanni expressed interest in travel