Luke Finch (3) 11/28/2009 Cocoa, Florida

Paul Martikainen-Father & Luke Finch-Son

Missing child alert issued for 3 year old Florida boy Luke Finch

A missing child alert has been issued for a 3 year old boy who disappeared after a court scheduled visitation with his biological father. Thirty six year old Paul Martikainen is wanted in the disappearance of his son, Luke Finch. Paul Martikainen has court ordered supervised visits for previous child abuse allegations involving his son, Luke.

Reports state that Paul Martikainen managed to slip away with Luke during his scheduled, supervised visit at the Riverfront Park in Cocoa, Florida at noon today. A statewide missing child alert has been issued in hopes of finding Luke Finch.

Luke Finch was last seen wearing a blue sweatshirt and blue pants with red sneakers that have fire engines on them. He is a white male, stands 2 feet 9 inches tall, and weighs approximately 33 pounds. He has blonde hair and blue eyes.

Paul Martikainen 36 years old, is a white male and weighs approximately 176 pounds. He has blonde hair and green eyes.

It is believed that Paul Martikainen and Luke Finch are traveling in a green Ford Explorer with the license number 142KEA.

If you believe that you have spotted Martikainen or Luke Finch or have information regarding their whereabouts please contact the Cocoa Police Department at 1-321-639-7620 (press #4 at the prompt) or call 911.

http://www.examiner.com/x-7403-Tampa-Crime-Examiner~y2009m11d28-Missing-child-alert-issued-for-3-year-old-Florida-boy-Luke-Finch

Witnesses report dad took missing 3-year-old on sailboat

November 29, 2009
Sara K. Clarke
Orlando Sentinel

Cocoa police said Sunday that the Palm Bay man who abducted his 3-year-old son during a supervised visit Saturday may have escaped with the boy on a sailboat.

After images of Paul Martikainen and his son Luke began flashing across television screens, investigators said witnesses called police and reported seeing the pair at a marina in St. Petersburg. They said the Paul and Luke got into a 32-foot Bristol sailboat and left the marina.

Police said they found Martikainen's 1995 green Ford Explorer at the marina. The sailboat was purchased in October by a friend of Martikainen's, and was recently painted "battleship gray," possibly in an attempt to conceal the boat on the water, investigators said.

The pair disappeared during a visit at Riverfront Park in Cocoa that was being monitored by a court-appointed supervisor because of previous allegations of child abuse against the boy, police said. Martikainen managed to elude the supervisor, and he and the boy have not been seen since 1 p.m. Saturday, police said.

It's unknown where Martikainen is taking the boy, and police are concerned because he has "no known extensive boating experience." Cocoa investigators are working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the United States Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies to locate the pair and return Luke to his mother.

Martikainen has a tattoo of a cross with Jesus and tribal tattoos on his back and a tribal tattoo on one of his thighs, police said.

Luke is 3 feet tall and weighs 32 pounds. He has blond hair and blue eyes and has a faint scar on his left cheek under the eye. He was last seen wearing blue sweat pants, a denim shirt, blue hoodie jacket and red fireman shoes.

Anyone with information can contact the Cocoa Police Department at 321-639-7620 (push "4" at the prompt).


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-missing-3-year-old-20091129,0,4059801.story

Luke Finch

DOB: Jan 3, 2006
Missing: Nov 28, 2009
Height: 2'9" (84 cm)
Eyes: Blue
Race: White
Age at disappearance: 3
Sex: Male
Weight: 32 lbs (15 kg)
Hair: Blonde
Missing From:
Cocoa, Flordia
United States



Paul Martikainen-Abductor

DOB: Jun 6, 1974
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Eyes: Green
Race: White
Sex: Male
Weight: 176 lbs (80 kg)
Hair: Blonde

Luke was allegedly abducted by his father, Paul Martikainen. A felony warrant was issued for the abductor on November 28, 2009. They may be traveling in a 1977 32-foot Bristol Model Sloop sailboat along the Mississippi River. Luke was last seen wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and black and red fire engine sneakers.

Contact Information:
Cocoa Police Department (Florida)

http://www.wtsp.com/news/custom/stor...18845&catid=20

Search for Missing Brevard 3 Year Old

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has issued a Missing Child Alert for three-year-old Luke Finch who was last seen at a Cocoa park.
Luke is described as two feet nine inches tall, 33 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and black and red fire engine sneakers.
The boy may be in the company of Paul Martikainen, a white male, 35 years old, five feet 11 inches tall, 176 pounds with blonde hair and green eyes.
They may be traveling in a green Ford Explorer with Florida tag 142-KEA.
If you have any information, please call the Cocoa Police Department at (321) 639-7620.

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2009/11/30/authorities_watch_the_seas_for_missing_boy.html

Authorities Search The Sea For Missing Boy

Monday, November 30, 2009 10:37:18 AM

COCOA -- A statewide manhunt continues for a Brevard County father and his son.

Now police are focusing near the St. Petersburg area after witnesses spotted them getting into a sailboat Saturday night.

Authorities said Paul Martikainen, of Palm Bay, was having a supervised visit with his son, when he reportedly took off with the child.

Investigators still don't know how they got away, but they said their main focus is finding the young boy.

A missing child alert was issued by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for Luke Finch, 3.

According to police, a witness called them when he or she saw the boy and man get into a battleship gray-colored sailboat off the coast of St. Petersburg. They found Martikainen's truck, a green, 1990s model Ford Explorer with Florida license plate 142-KEA, at the marina.

The Coast Guard is searching the water, but said the color of the boat will make the search much more challenging because that color is hard to see in the water and they are concerned because they don't believe Martikainen has any boating experince.

Officials said the boat was purchased by a friend of Martikainen a few months ago.

The father was forced to have supervised visits with the boy because of alleged abuse allegations.

Kelly Bombriant, who lives just a few houses away from Martikainen in Palm Bay, said he has been very upset over these issues. She said he spends a lot of time with her family and believed him to be a good dad.

"We've spent a lot of time with Luke and Paul, and we really don't see it. He was very protective of him. My daughter would play with him and he was always making sure everything was OK," Bombriant said.

Investigators have been working around the clock to try and find the boy. Police are asking anyone who has spoken with Paul Martikainen in the last few days to contact them. They said even the smallest detail could lead to the location of these two.

If you have seen Luke Finch or Paul Martikainen, call Cocoa police at (321) 639-7620

http://www.wptv.com/content/news/centralpbc/story/Luke-Finch-Christa-Paul-Martikainen-missing-child/5EaXilE1fUCpHIiJEKo4Dg.cspx?rss=762

Mother pleads for her son's safe return



Luke Finch

Monday, November 30, 2009
WPTV staff

COCOA, FL--A Florida Missing Child Alert has been issued for a 3-year-old boy from Cocoa.

Officials say Luke Finch, was last seen in the area of Taylor Park at Harrison & Delannoy Street in Cocoa Florida, wearing a blue sweatshirt, blue pants and black and red fire engine sneakers.

Monday afternoon his mother, Christa Finch begged for his safe return, Florida Today reported.

The child was last seen during a supervised visit with his father, Paul Martikainen. He is 35 years old, 5 feet 11 inches tall, 176 pounds, blonde hair and green eyes.

Police say Martikainen recently bought a sailboat and painted it gray so it would be harder to spot on the water. Martikainen does not have extensive boating experience.

His green Ford Explorer, with a dented rear bumper, tag number 142KEA, was last seen at a St. Petersburg marina. Tampabay.com reports two boaters saw Martikainen sailing away from the Salt Creek Marina.

The website also reports that Martikainen and Luke's mother Christa Lee Finch got a marriage license in 2004 in Palm Beach County for a ceremony held in Titusville in Brevard County on Dec. 3, 2004.

The couple divorced less than a year later. Florida Today reports Christa was pregnant with Luke at the time.

If you have any information concerning the whereabouts Luke Finch, please contact the Cocoa Police Department at 321-639-7620

Coast Guard Finds Missing Boy On Boat With Dad
Posted: 9:53 am EST December 1, 2009
Updated: 10:29 am EST December 1, 2009

http://www.wftv.com/news/21771294/detail.html

COCOA, Fla. -- A 3-year-old boy, taken by his father during a supervised visit was found on the father’s sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday morning.
The boy, Luke Finch, was taken by his biological father, Paul Martikainen, an immigrant from Finland during a supervised visit at Riverfront Park in Cocoa Village Saturday. Police say Martikainen eluded the person supervising the visit and fled.
The Coast Guard says they spotted the boat Monday night and kept it under surveillance all night. At sun-up Tuesday, two Coast Guard Cutters and helicopter intercepted the boat and took boy.
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According to Cocoa police, Luke was taken aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Crocodile, which is expected at the Coast Guard Station in Ft. Myers Beach at approximately 7:00pm. Cocoa Detective Nellie Woodruff is also aboard the Cutter with Luke. Police said Luke seems to be in good health and will be reunited with his mother in Ft. Myers Beach.
Paul Martikainen, police said, is still aboard his sailboat, which is being towed to shore by the Coast Guard Cutter Kodiak Island. They will make landfall much later in the evening, at which time Martikainen will be taken in custody by the FBI on a Federal arrest warrant.
“We are extremely happy about the outcome of this. It could have gone so much worse and we are so thankful that Luke is safe. This was a group effort and would not have been possible without the help of many, many law enforcement agencies” Cocoa Police Chief Mark Klayman said through a statement released Tuesday morning by police.
The Coast Guard said the boat was in the Gulf and appeared to be heading toward Mexico

COCOA, Fla. — A Florida man and the son he is accused of abducting have been found safe.

Authorities say the Coast Guard found Paul Martikainen of Palm Bay and his 3-year-old son Tuesday morning aboard a sailboat. No further information was immediately released.

Police had said that witnesses reporting seeing Martikainen and his son, Luke Finch, get in a 32-foot sailboat at a St. Petersburg marina on Saturday.

A missing child alert was issued for the boy, whom Martikainen is accused of taking during a supervised visit.

Martikainen's SUV was located at the marina.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578371,00.html