Father of missing Sky Metalwala is hopeful six months later

There will be a prayer service for missing Sky Metalwala Sunday night at Heritage park in Kirkland.

Sunday marks the six-month anniversary of Sky Metalwala’s
disappearance.

The 2-year-old vanished from Bellevue last November when
his
mother, Julia Biryukova, says she left him alone in her
car
while she walked to get gas. Police later determined there
were about two gallons of gas still left in the car.

The boy’s father, Solomon Metalwala, is still holding on
to hope that he’s alive.

“He very strongly believes his son is alive. I think, to
tell you the truth, it’s keeping him going,” Solomon’s
attorney, Clay Terry, told 97.3 KIRO FM’s Ron and Don
Show.

There will be a prayer service for Sky Sunday night (8-
9pm) at
Heritage park in Kirkland.

Meanwhile, the Bellevue Police Department said Thursday
that the Metalwala case is still a “very active open
missing child case.”

“We all hope for his safe return,” Police Spokeswoman
Carla Iafrate said via email.

Solomon Metalwala and Julia Biryukova have divorced and
Solomon has full custody of Sky’s 5-year-old sister,
Mailie. Terry said Mailie is thriving in her new
environment. She’s in school, she’s eating well, and
counselors continue to work with her.

“We’re hoping like Elizabeth Smart’s younger
sister…where
they start to remember things and draw pictures. They’re
kind of hoping that this will happen with Mailie, but it
has not happened yet,” said Terry.

Meanwhile, Biryukova remains mum about the case. In fact,
she failed to appear at a March custody hearing.

“She hasn’t been to any of the court appearances, she
won’t answer any questions, she won’t talk to police, she
won’t talk to any of the investigators with any of the
agencies that have been involved.”

Terry said Biryukova has not fled the country and she
remains in Redmond. Police have assured him that they
can’t find any evidence Sky was taken to the Ukraine.