Law and Order and Plenty of Gas: Sky Metalwala's Search Gets Stranger

Yesterday, we reported briefly on a press conference held by the Bellevue Police Department, during which time Maj. Mike Johnson spoke candidly about the two-year-old boy's disappearance.

"It doesn't add up. The mother's story is falling apart day by day." Johnson stated, after admitting that the police were "frustrated" at the lack of information that the mother, Julia Biryukova, was providing.

Sky Metalwala has been missing since at least Sunday, when his mother reported that he had disappeared from her unlocked car. However, no family members have reported seeing the child for at least two weeks prior to that.

Biryukova claimed that she had left her child in the car after running out of gas on their way to the hospital, where she was taking him because he was "sick." Johnson stated yesterday that they were unable to pinpoint exactly what "sick" meant--and that the car started easily had plenty of gas in it when it was recovered.

The press conference also clarified several not-quite-correct points which had been reported earlier, including that Biryukova had left the house without her purse or wallet. Johnson made it a point to apologize for the incorrect information, explaining that while she had left her purse at home, but had brought her wallet with her.

Maj. Johnson also answered the several "citizen sleuth's" concerns, including why the mother, whose Facebook page was fairly easy to search for and find, displayed (prior to the media attention) copious photos of her 4-year-old daughter, but few photos of her missing son (and a love of Justin Bieber?), which Maj. Johnson admitted "did seem strange" but "didn't make her a suspect."

Perhaps one of the strangest details to come from the press conference is the chilling similarity between Sky's disappearance and an episode of Law and Order SVU which aired just before the child had gone missing. Maj. Johnson admitted that while he personally had not seen the episode, several members of the department had and that it was "strikingly similar."

A suspect has yet to be named, but Bellevue Police are continuing to investigate the disappearance with the understanding that foul play is at work, and that Biryukova is concealing information.

Another press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. today.