Pennsylvania child found in Puerto Rico, father charged after "extensive investigation," DA says

A child was found in Puerto Rico after authorities said his father unlawfully removed him from Pennsylvania and then ceased communication, leading to an "extensive investigation."

The Lackawana County District Attorney announced on Thursday that 65-year-old Frank Nellom was arrested in Puerto Rico after illegally taking his son from the Scranton area. 

The district attorney's office said the investigation began after Nellom took his son and went to Puerto Rico, despite a custody order that grants the child's mother full custody. Then Nellom ceased communication, and authorities said they no longer knew where the boy was. 

After a large investigation involving multiple agencies in both the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the district attorney's office said authorities found Nellom and the child.

The boy is being cared for by Puerto Rico's Administration for Families and Children, waiting to be reunited with his mother in Pennsylvania, the DA said. 

"While criminal investigations often focus on arrests and charges, the most important outcome in this case is that a child is safe and will soon be reunited with his mother," District Attorney Brian J. Gallagher said in a social media post. "That result reflects the very best of law enforcement, child advocacy, and interagency cooperation."

Court paperwork shows that Nellom is currently facing felony charges of interfering with the custody of children and concealing the whereabouts of a child. The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office said the investigation is still active, and more charges are anticipated.