Mother of missing Brooklyn autistic boy remains uncooperative and shows agitation during court appearance.
A Brooklyn woman embroiled in a case concerning her missing 11-year-old autistic son appeared in Family Court on Friday, reaffirming her previous denials of motherhood and providing no insight into the child’s current whereabouts. Jacqueline Pritchett, 50, has consistently claimed that Jacob Pritchett does not belong to her, despite official records identifying her as his mother. During Friday’s court proceedings, through her attorney, Pritchett invoked her Fifth Amendment right, declining to answer questions about Jacob.
Judge Dawn Orsatti expressed her concerns regarding Jacob’s welfare and ordered Pritchett to either bring her son to authorities or appear in court at her next scheduled hearing on December 30. Failure to comply could result in an arrest. Pritchett’s agitation was apparent when she expressed her reluctance, stating she had no money and no place to live, directing her frustration primarily at her lawyer, Daniela Mancini.
Mancini attempted to de-escalate the situation and advised Pritchett that she could testify remotely if in-person attendance posed challenges. Should she choose to appear in person, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) would provide her with a round-trip MetroCard for transportation. Outside the courthouse, Pritchett, currently residing in a shelter, declined to address inquiries from the media and was escorted away by representatives from Brooklyn Defender Services.
This case gained attention when the New York Police Department (NYPD) classified Jacob as missing in October. Reports from police indicate that the last verified sighting of the child occurred in January, when a relative waved to him from outside their building. In an effort to locate Jacob, the NYPD has shared a police sketch and rendered images, and there are ongoing concerns that he may have suffered harm. Despite extensive searches, including an investigation at an upstate landfill linked to refuse from Pritchett’s residence, no signs of Jacob have been found.
The involvement of ACS dates back to September 25, when they visited Pritchett’s apartment following a tip concerning the child’s well-being. During their initial attempt, Pritchett reportedly denied access to ACS; however, she eventually permitted police to enter and again denied having a child. When authorities returned on October 1, they discovered no evidence of Jacob, although children’s toys and mattresses were present within the apartment.
Pritchett’s behavior and statements during the investigation have raised concerns regarding her mental health. Following a period of psychiatric observation at Brookdale Hospital, she was held on Rikers Island beginning October 10 for contempt of court but was released on December 9. Her release followed a legal argument asserting that she had been penalized for exercising her rights. The case surrounding Jacob Pritchett remains shrouded in mystery, with the authorities continuing their search for answers about the young boy’s fate.
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