Cops Hunt Divorced Dad Who Took Daughter

(CBS/AP)  A divorced father who allegedly kidnapped his 7-year-old daughter during a supervised visit in Boston over the weekend may be trying to take off from Long Island on a boat, according to police.

Investigators believe it's part of an elaborate plan that he had been working on for months to escape with his daughter Reigh on a 72-foot yacht named "Serenity," possibly to Bermuda.

His Beacon Hill neighbors remember Clark Rockefeller, 48, as the doting father on their street, not the man accused of now kidnapping the 7-year-old daughter who was his constant companion.

"I could see people panicking if they couldn't locate her," one man told CBS Station WBZ correspondent Beth Germano. "But there's not a chance in the world that he would do anything to harm her."

Boston police aren't so sure.

Little Reigh, known as Snooks, is now the subject of a missing child alert in New York City where father and daughter were last seen Sunday evening, near Grand Central Station.

He was an avid sailor while in Boston and could be on a boat now.

Germano reports that Rockefeller met his daughter and a social worker at Boston's exclusive Algonquin Club where he was a member to begin their supervised visit.

Boston police say early Sunday afternoon a black SUV with a Red Sox license plate and Red Sox stickers on the window suddenly pulled up to the three on Marlborough Street near the Boston Public Garden. According to police, Rockefeller shoved the social worker out of the way and pulled his daughter into the vehicle, which may have been a Chevy Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon or Denali, operated by a male driver.

The social worker attempted to grab the door, was dragged a short distance and was later treated for minor injuries, police said.

An Amber Alert was issued Sunday for the girl in Massachusetts but was canceled Monday after police received reports that he was spotted in New York City.

New York police have since issued a Missing Child Alert.

The NYPD Harbor Patrol, the Coast Guard and the FBI searched for the Rockefellers and their yacht Monday in the waters and marinas surrounding New York and Long Island. Police say it's been difficult because there are several hundred boats with the same name in the area.

New York police said the father and daughter later switched cars to a vehicle of a friend, who was unaware of how the girl was picked up, and that second car went to New York.

Boston police issued an arrest warrant for Rockefeller on charges of custodial kidnapping, assault and battery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the SUV.

Reigh, whose legal name is Reigh Storrow Boss, lives with her mother, Sandra Boss, who works in London as a partner in global management consulting firm, McKinsey & Co. Boss also is on the board of The Mount, Edith Wharton's estate. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School and has worked with politicians such as New York's Mayor Bloomberg in governmental financial consulting, according to her company profile.

Boss and Rockefeller finalized their divorce last December.

"A couple red flags jumped out at me. The mother had the little girl's name changed from his last name to hers - that's unusual," CBS News analyst Lisa Bloom said on The Early Show. "The only time he's allowed to be with the child is supervised visitation. That's unusual for a biological parent, [indicating] the judge is concerned about him being alone with her."

Fraser Seitel, a spokesman for the descendants of John D. Rockefeller Sr., said he could say with certainty that Clark Rockefeller was not descended from that side of the family that made billions of dollars with Standard Oil and whose name is synonymous with extraordinary wealth. He said that family archives also show no indication that the fugitive was descended from William Rockefeller, John D. Rockefeller Sr.'s only sibling.

Clark Rockefeller is a former director of the Algonquin Club, but resigned from the club three months ago, the club's manager said Monday.

Manager Lassaad Riahi said that he has known Rockefeller for the several years he was a member.

"What I do know is he's a gentleman. He's a kind man. Polite. Very, very intelligent," Riahi said. "I am very shocked."

Clark Rockefeller is white, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and about 170 pounds. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a blue Izod shirt. He goes by several aliases, including J.P. Clark Rockefeller, James Frederick Clark Rockefeller, James Frederick, Clark Mill Rockefeller and Michael Brown

His last known address is 73 Beacon Street in Boston.

Reigh is white with blond hair and blue eyes. She is about 4-feet tall, weighs 50 pounds and speaks with a British accent. She goes by the nickname "Snooks." She was last seen wearing a pink and white sun dress, with red shoes and glasses.

If you see them or the SUV, or if you have any information regarding this incident, please call the Boston Police or District D-4 detectives at [phone]. Individuals wishing to report information anonymously may do so by calling CrimeStoppers at (800) 494-TIPS or texting "TIPS" to CRIME (27463).

[flreason]

HamiltonGRAD:

How do you define love? Do you honestly think that this child is better off living on the run, unable to play with friends, or attend school, or get medical attention because all of those things could lead authorities to her?

As an advocate for mens'' parental rights, I would expect that you would ascribe noble motives to Mr. Rockefeller. But as an attorney you also take an oath to serve the courts as well as your client. How, in good conscience, can you condone his behavior? This is not just a case of a father loving his daughter, this is a man who has committed multiple crimes to possess her. He is sacrificing her safety and security to satisfy his own emotional needs. I have a hard time making that fit any definition of love.

[linfinster]

well, sounds like it can go either way .. and people are whining about both sides. If it turns out that the reason why the judge restricted his access to the child turns out to be just because the wife has ties and connections .. a b!tch and he really is a nice guy, I hope she loses custody of the child and if she is incapable of separating the divorce from the healthy rearing of her own flesh and blood, then complete denial. Actually if there were any evidence he was a bad father to her behind closed doors then I''d expect the same thing for him. BUT WE DON''T KNOW YET. Geeesh people!

[dixxson-2009]

I wish him all the luck in the world also. I feel as you that he is the best parent. You can''t kidnap your own child, What the Fu*k

[hamiltongrad]

As an advocate attorney for men, I am shocked after reading the postings from women. Do they want blood just because a father loves his daughter ?

[hamiltongrad]

As an Professional Attorney for Men''s Rights (member AMR) I urge everyone including the media to hold off judgment, do not write this poor man as an evil person, as my all measure he is probably the victim in this drama. How is that the "mother" is living so far away, and working in London ? What kind of a DBM is she ( dead beat mom ? ). We do not know, and no need to prejudge, except for the facts.
We have a loving, caring father who most likely has been a victim of the courts. Does this story sound familiar ? You bet.
We don''t need to blame him, perhaps the system. Perhaps there needs to be some compassion for men too !
And I understand that the "mother" is still in London, working.

[flreason]

DaVicar2:

You still don''t respond to the my main point...that Rockefeller''s behavior puts his daughter at risk. He is a fugitive, and therefore cannot properly provide for his daughter. Tell me just how that is in her best interest.

[republic1776]

Dan9111,
Your right....
It''s called follow the wallet.
Attorneys like taking clients $$$$
The judges and State, like it too.. $$$$

[dmotte]

U2cnB1, itis about a father who wants his kid and it is about time the screwball judges started giving the fathers their parental rights instead of always siding with the mothers.To he-l with the courts and the dumba-s custody laws that rob fathers of their rights. I would do the same thing if it came down to it.What kind of dipsh-t moron are you anyway?

[mjm117]

All I have to say is this, if someone ever tried to take my son away from me I would go to great lengths to get him back.

I have no idea what this guy is like, maybe he is a madman...but maybe he isn''t. Maybe he is just a man that wants his daughter back and was willing to risk the rest of his life to do it. Maybe the mother is a lunatic? Maybe the mother isn''t? Who knows.

My point is, don''t rush to judgement. I may do the same if someone ever tried to take my kid away...and I bet a LOT of the parents on here would do the same.

[flreason]

DaVicar2:

What I orginally said was: "Her father''s behavior is obsessive at best, and possibly mentally deranged at worst. This child is at risk. Nothing else matters."

As you will note, I focused on this man''s behavior. His behavior is abnormal. The reason his "needs" don''t matter in this situation is because his behavior ignores her needs and puts her at risk. He is now a fugitive. How can he guarantee her well-being when she cannot be schooled, get medical treatment at a hospital, or appear with him in public because of the warrants issued against him? Law enforcement officials cannot afford to give the benefit of the doubt to Rockefeller in a situation where a seven-year-old child most definitely is at risk because of his actions.

Reigh is seven years old and unable to make decisions for herself in this situation. She is also unable to physically defend herself. You side with this man without knowing the circumstances of his being allowed only structured, supervised meetings with her. If he is so financially well-off, he can afford a high-powered lawyer to argue for overturning the ruling. If he has tried legal redress and failed, despite his money, then the court must have solid evidence that suggests that his behavior poses a significant risk to Reigh''s well-being. Rockefeller''s actions suggest that the court was correct in their assessment. That is why her needs trump his. Surely even you can see that.