Authorities Seek Lakeville Man Accused of Abandoning 11-Year-Old Son

A nationwide arrest warrant has been issued for a Lakeville man accused of abandoning his 11-year-old son, leaving him a note and telling him to go to a neighbor’s home.

A warrant for Steven Alexander Cross, 60, was issued earlier this month. He is charged with neglect of a child, a gross misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of a year in jail and a $3,000 fine.

According to the criminal complaint, a Lakeville woman called police on July 18 and told them that the 11-year-old son of a neighbor had ridden his bicycle to her home and arrived in tears.

The boy handed the woman a letter and an unopened envelope. The opened letter, written in block printing, said:

“To [my son]:

“If this paper is wet it’s because I am crying so bad. You know your dad loves you more than anything. This economy got [illegible] there are no jobs for architects so I have to go because the [sheriff] will take the house July 27th. There will be no more me. …

“Some good news is your mother is still alive. Though I do not think it is for the best. Give these letters to [the neighbor]. Do not open them. I hope they get to give you a chance. There are many many great years ahead for you. Not so for me.”

The letter told the child to take his PlayStation and other electronics to the neighbor’s home. The sealed letter asked the neighbor to take guardianship of the child.

Court records show that Cross was judged the father of the boy and was awarded sole physical and legal custody in 2001. The boy’s mother was awarded visitation privileges, which she did not exercise and which were suspended by the court in 2002. The mother’s whereabouts are unknown, according to the complaint.

The neighbor told police that she comforted the boy, and that she tried unsuccessfully to contact Cross. She said Cross hadn’t discussed guardianship or his plans to leave with her or her family.

The boy told police that he had seen his father the evening before and didn’t notice that anything was wrong. Police distributed a missing-person report nationwide and checked his credit card and bank account records, but found nothing.

Authorities analyzed a computer that Cross left behind and found that he might have made a reservation at a hotel in Morro Bay, Calif., for one adult for three nights.

The neighbor told police that she got a phone call on July 25 from a woman who identified herself as an ex-girlfriend of Cross. The woman said she had gotten an e-mail from Cross, sent from a library in Carmel, Calif., telling her that he had left his son behind and that he was depressed and sleeping in the street.

The e-mail read:

“I had to walk away from [the boy]. So awful the house is gone. I drove to Carmel with nothing. I sleep on the street. Please call [the child] and see if he picks up his cell phone at this number please if so send me a message I probably only have a couple of days.

“No one I called would help me. I don’t know what to do. I am scared and hopelessly depressed but [the child] needs to know I did my best to get [him] to graduate from grade school and I love him. Please do this for me. Here is the number. You know I love you too. Please if he answers write me a note.”

Police contacted authorities in California, but all efforts to locate Cross have been unsuccessful.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact local police.