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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Julia.jpg
Though she has avoided the public eye and police questions for over a year following the disappearance of her son Sky, Julia Biryukova has qualified for taxpayer-supported housing assistance in a secure, high-rent Redmond complex. (File photo)

Exclusive: Taxpayers support the mother of a missing Bellevue toddler

November 20, 2012 @ 11:41 am (Updated: 4:10 pm - 11/20/12 )

Taxpayers are supporting the mother of a toddler who mysteriously disappeared in Bellevue over a year ago.

Julia Biryukova told police her car ran out of gas in the 2600 block of 112th Ave. N.E. in Bellevue. She left her sleeping son Sky Metalwala, who was two years old, alone in the unlocked car. She then walked to a gas station with her daughter to get help. When they returned to the car, he was gone.

After she reported Sky missing, November 6, 2011, she talked with police investigators for 10 hours.

"Do we know more today than we did yesterday about what happened to him? I would say no we don't, Bellevue Police Major Mike Johnson said days after Sky disappeared.

Over a year later, they don't know what happened to the little boy.

Johnson hinted last year there could be a criminal investigation coming.

"We're not comfortable calling her a person of interest or a suspect. There's a lot of work going on," Johnson said. "At some point it would not be unlikely this would become a criminal investigation, however, we're not yet there."

They're still "not yet there."

Police tell me Biryukova was not charged with neglect or any other minor crime related to Sky's disappearance because there could still be more serious charges to come.

Meanwhile, Biryukova has qualified for housing assistance according to a tip to The Ron and Don Show which I've verified. She's receiving free rent at a high end, secure apartment building in Redmond.

That angers Clay Terry, an attorney for Sky's father Solomon Metalwala.

"Julia just doesn't want to work. I'm convinced of that. I was convinced of it when I was representing Mr. Metalwala. All she counted on was wanting more child support, more personal maintenance," Terry says.

"She did not want to do any work on her own, claiming that she had to take care of the children. That may have been a very legitimate reason, because that is a full-time job, but when she got out of the responsibility of taking care of the children, suddenly she's incapable of working and taxpayers have to support her."

As recently as November 1, 2012 Biryukova lists "child support" as her only income, in documents I've obtained.

Solomon Metalwala has custody of the couple's daughter Maile, and he has not paid child support since November of 2011.

She did not pay income taxes for 2011 and signed a statement (dated 11-01-2012) that she is not employed.

Terry says beyond the money taxpayers are spending to support Birykova, they are also paying for a police investigation that seems futile.

"That story about the child being kidnapped is a phony, it's a fake, it never existed, it never happened, it's an outright lie," says Terry. "Everyone connected with this case as far as I know believes it's a lie, even though they've had to spend thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars investigating it because of the remote possibility that it might have been true."

"We know in our hearts, Solomon and I know in our hearts, that Julia knows exactly what happened to Sky, but because she won't say anything enormous amounts of money are going into efforts to try to find the child or to look for some clues. I'm sure it's into the millions of dollars by now."

On TV shows like CSI and Law and Order, police have ways to pressure people in to talking. The Bellevue PD says it doesn't work that way in the real world. They would like to speak with Biryukova, but she doesn't have to talk.

Terry doesn't think anything will compel Birykova to give police more information about Sky's disappearance.

"She has the right under the United States and Washington Constitution not to testify, not to say anything to the police," says Terry. "She has retained an attorney and he has given her advice not to talk. There is nothing anyone can do to make her talk."

Her attorney also did not return calls to talk about this story.

Sky's father and sister are now approaching a second Thanksgiving without him.

"Do I want to believe that he's dead? What proof do I have?" says Solomon Metalwala

There's no proof his little boy is dead, so Metalwala chooses to believe Sky will come home.

By LINDA THOMAS

More from Linda Thomas

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Comments (44)


  • Add A Comment

  • jstumbo wrote...
    Linda, could you add to the story?
    November 21, 2012 6:32 am
    Why is she getting rent paid by the tax payer?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • monkeyal wrote...
    How much is the monthly rent??
    November 21, 2012 6:52 am
    Please be specific in news stories.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • kato1967 wrote...
    The Life of Julia
    November 21, 2012 7:11 am
    Remember that loathesome video the Obama campaign put out detailing the life a woman who was dependent on government assistance from cradle to grave? Now we know exactly who they were talking about.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    Well she is, by far, not the only one living off the taxpayer dole!
    November 21, 2012 7:27 am
    Half of this country, we Americans, is paying for the other half, you Obamaites,

    So you Useful Idiots can have your free ObamaPhones, your mortgages paid, and for. Your Dear Leader himself to put oil in your furnace and pump the gas in your cars and lower the Sea levels.

    Yep! You mindless Left wing Parrots did EXACTLY what you were bread to do. That was to get the Dear Leader and we Americans 4 more years of this Liberal insanity. How long will it be before you begin to choke on it?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Annie (1) wrote...
    Where is the rest of this story???
    November 21, 2012 7:29 am
    So very often these KIRO stories are never fully told. The BIG BOLD headline is the taxpayers are supporting this woman-but the fuller story-is how is that possible-in what way are we supporting her? Has she ever worked??? Is she on unemployment??? On welfare???How does she qualify for housing assistance & why in a high end apartment?? Did KIRO ask State officials how she can claim child support as her only source of income when the father hasn't paid that child support since 2011? There should be so much more to this story..but par for the course KIRO never tells it.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Why on earth
    November 22, 2012 10:44 am
    Would the husband be responsible for child support when the child is gone? Of course, unless the father had a good lawyer, Washington state would still be demanding it from him.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Forrest wrote...
    I'm mad at the republican apartment owner
    November 21, 2012 7:34 am
    for taking the state's money.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    Libs don't think this is their fault in any way, shape or form.
    November 21, 2012 7:42 am
    They are blind to the unintended consequences of the government programs they champion. Libs are naive dreamers whose favorite song is "Imagine" by John Lennon. The Libs don't see (because they DON'T WANT to see) all the Julia Biryukovas of the world that their policies create. They actually believe the growing number of welfare and disability and food stamp recipients are the result of evil and heartless conservatives. "Liberalism is a disease" is a saying that is proving more and more to be a truism. A cure better be found soon, or this wonderful country our founding fathers created is going to go the way of western Europe.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • calapete wrote...
    why is this a partisan issue?
    November 21, 2012 7:52 am
    the woman is unemployable.

    In the USA we take care of our citizens. We don't throw people out into the street to die.

    Do you think Romney would have eliminated Section 8 housing? Not likely.

    you are all just blowhards, but when it comes down to it, I doubt any of you would have the guts to throw a woman into the streets.

    But please, call your Republican Congressman and urge them to take a stand against poor women. Throw them into the streets. I suggest hiring Allan West as your spokesman.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    Calapete, there is a large number of Americans who don't work because they don't have to work.
    November 21, 2012 8:04 am
    They are content with the government taking care of them. I hope you wouldn't argue with me about that.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • calapete wrote...
    yawn. Keep it up guys, two more years till your next beating.
    November 21, 2012 8:17 am
    back on topic, this woman is unemployable. What is the "right" thing to do? hey, can we declare her an "enemy combatant"?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    What you don't get is that the "beatings" don't hurt me personally. I'm doing fine.
    November 21, 2012 8:42 am
    The "beatings" hurt the future of my children (and yours, if you have any). The "beatings" are pointing our country toward the same financial catastrophe that western European countries are currently facing. The reason you are happy about the libs "winning" is because there is truth to the saying that ignorance is bliss.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    And how do you know she is unemployable?
    November 21, 2012 8:51 am
    What skills does she have? Do you know? The problem is that it is very likely she isn't even trying to find work because she doesn't need to try. And there are millions of Americans that have the same attitude. I don't know of anyone who has a problem with a safety net for those who truly need it. The problem is that the definition of "those who truly need it" has been broadened to a ridiculous level, and the benefits have been sweetened to the point where even if one can work, they don't. And the checks and balances are WEAK, because those in charge of policing the programs have a vested interest in the programs growing. It is a vicious circle that is leading to our financial demise. But hey, the intentions are good. So I guess that makes the financial ruin of this country an acceptable side effect.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • calapete wrote...
    would you hire her?
    November 21, 2012 8:57 am
    her face is plastered all over the media. Speculation is running rampant. She would be a distraction, no rightful employer would hire her.

    keep blaming others, those poor, the 47%, those Unions!. It worked wonders this election.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zagnut wrote...
    If I were her I'd find a way to work.
    November 21, 2012 9:46 am
    I doubt somebody would hire me to be the face of their company if I was her, but if I had a skill I'd find a way to utilize it. And if I didn't have a skill I'd start developing one. I'd change my name and move if it was necessary. I'd figure out a way to be productive. But that's me. I don't have the same lack of a work ethic as so many have who have become reliant on the government. Taking a handout would embarrass me. I'd do it if I had to do it. But I'd be ashamed and I'd do everything in my power to become self reliant and to pay back, with interest, whoever I took the handout from.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • maplefish wrote...
    Zagnut
    November 22, 2012 10:55 am
    Bravo! That's the problem with narrow minded liberal zealots like Calapete, wrongway and the other liberal cast of clowns on this site. They're are the jealous, envious, small, weak, people who have never built anything themselves. They are losers in life and feel that because they failed that everyone else owes them something. They have decided that the wealthy and successful are the enemy. Even though EVERYONE in this Country has the same opportunity. They are just too shallow and weak to make anything of themselves...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • mnpat wrote...
    Calapete...what makes her unemployable?
    November 21, 2012 9:01 am
    She is a young woman? She has no physical restraints? She has no other responsibilities? Yup...fully capable I guess to live off others, don't pay child support, do not pass goal but collect free housing, groceries, heat, lights, health care. What is the right thing to do is simple, get a court order for her to start paying child support.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Pugwamp wrote...
    Job Opportunity!
    November 21, 2012 8:58 am
    She's an attractive Eastern European woman and should have no problem finding work as a webcam girl.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rose Seattle wrote...
    Voted for what?
    November 21, 2012 10:41 am
    I think everyone needs to do a reality check here. When people apply for any type of government benefits, the forms require them to sign under penalty of perjury that they've told the truth. Now that it is clear she has lied, the authorities managing the program do have the option of evicting her and prosecuting her. I would hope given the press on this that they will do both!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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