A New Rochelle boy missing for more than a year was found safe and returned to his mother following the arrest of his father on a Family Court warrant, New Rochelle police and the Westchester District Attorney’s Office said.
Dwight Richards, 54, was arrested Monday, June 15, the boy’s 12th birthday, when New Rochelle detectives tracked him down in the Bronx. His son, King Richards, was not with him but the father assisted in having the boy turned over to police, Capt. J. Collins Coyne said in a news release Tuesday afternoon.
The boy was taken to a hospital for observation and then reunited with his mother at Family Court in New Rochelle.
King’s mother, who has full custody of the boy, took to Facebook Tuesday afternoon to thank New Rochelle police, particularly Det. Christian Gonzalez, for their “tireless work in helping to locate my son.”
“I want to thank my community, my village, and everyone who prayed, reposted, and spread the word; thank you for standing by me,” she wrote. “This experience has shown me the true power of community, and I will never forget how you all rallied around me. I’m holding onto hope that my son’s healing will continue, and that we can rebuild our lives step by step.”
She reported King missing in March 2025 after Dwight Richards did not return the boy as required. On July 18, 2025, Family Court Judge Allison Burke issued a warrant for Dwight Richards when he failed to bring King to court as ordered.
In addition to a violation over the Family Court order, Richards is facing a misdemeanor second-degree criminal contempt charge.
Westchester District Attorney Susan Cacace commended New Rochelle for their search efforts and said “their diligence led to today’s reunion.”
“The defendant’s alleged defiance of the Family Court, allegedly concealing his son for the better part of a year, caused his mother and everyone in this county an agonizing wait as the child’s whereabouts remained unknown for so long,” Cacace said in a statement. “All children in Westchester deserve to live without fear that they will be stolen without warning from the sanctuary of their communities. We must strive for a reality where that is possible.”
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New Rochelle boy missing for a year in custody fight reunited with mother
Reporting by Jonathan Bandler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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By Jonathan Bandler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
