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Ozone Park woman flees with baby nephew in foster care battle: NYPD

Ozone Park woman flees with baby nephew in foster care battle: NYPD
By Bill Parry

The NYPD is searching for a 1-year-old boy who was in the temporary care of his aunt who was supposed to turn him over to foster care. Neither has been seen in nearly a week, police announced Thursday.

Zayden Montero was last seen last Friday around 10 a.m. at his aunt’s home on Albert Road in Ozone Park. On Monday a court ordered the aunt, Darlene Melo, to bring the boy to the New York Foundling Foster Care agency. But when representatives of the agency arrived at the home on Wednesday, they discovered that Melo had fled the location without surrendering the child, according to the NYPD.

Officials said neither have been seen since. Police described Zayden Montero as 2-foot-4, 22 pounds, with a thin build and a light complexion.

Darlene Melo drives a red Chevrolet Impala with a Florida license plate, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.