BELLEVUE, Wash. — It has been more than eight years since Sky Metalwala disappeared from Bellevue at the age of 2.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children posted an age-progression photo on its website recently, showing what Sky could look like at age 10.
The who, what, where, and why has been challenged and dismissed long ago. Bellevue police say they don't believe the story the then 2-year old's mother, Julia Biryukova, initially told detectives.
Biryukova claimed she was driving in Bellevue near I-405 when she ran out of gas. She said in 2011 that she left little Sky in the car, while she and her daughter walked a mile to the nearest gas station. When she returned, she said, Sky was gone.
The case prompted a national search, amateur sleuthing, and investigating Biryukova's online dating habits. Police later determined the car had gas and was operational. Biryukova has never consented to an interview, and police have never solved the case.
On Tuesday, May 12, Bellevue police posted a link to the age-progression photo on its Facebook page along with this statement:
"Sky Metalwala vanished 8.5 yrs ago when his mother says she left him in her car. Here’s the latest age progression by National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. It’s time to bring Sky home; time to bring those responsible to justice. #SkyMetalwala."