14 The Courier sun • october 31, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com Family hopeful autistic teen will be found alive BY CRISTABELLE TUMOLA AND ANGY ALTAMIRANO editorial@queenscourier.com Although NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said police are not hopeful they will find autistic teen Avonte Oquendo alive, the boy’s family continues the extensive search -- four weeks after he went missing from his Long Island City school. “Obviously we have devoted a tremendous amount of resources to the search,” Kelly told WABC New York. “Unfortunately, we are not hopeful that we’re going to find this young man alive, but we are continuing our search.” The teen’s mother, Vanessa Fontaine, and his brother, Daniel Oquendo, were upset by Kelly’s comment, and remain positive they will find Avonte alive. “NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly says we won’t find Avonte alive. His lack of faith in his own police force is very disturbing. This is a slap in the face to all those brave and valiant NYPD officers and volunteers who have worked tirelessly to find Avonte,” said Daniel through a post on his Instagram account. “Luckily we have the community on our side. With all your help we WILL find Avonte.” According to reports, Fontaine said she believes her son is still out there alive and she wants everyone to continue helping search for Avonte. “He is not gone,” she said. Last week, Kelly said the NYPD may need to scale back its search for the teen, according to reports. Avonte, 14, was last seen at the Center Boulevard School at 1-50 51st Avenue in Long Island City around 12:38 p.m. on Friday, October 4. There have been conflicting reports on how the Rego Park teen, who cannot verbally communicate and is supposed to be supervised at all times, managed to leave the school, said the family’s attorney, David Perecman. According to Avonte’s grandmother, the security guard appointed to the front of the school said she had seen Avonte running towards the door, asked him where he was going and after he did not respond, she just allowed him to leave because she did not know he was a special needs student. Yet, according to Perecman, no student at the school is allowed to leave the property until dismissal. However, according to reports, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the school safety officer did nothing wrong. Since Avonte went missing, the reward has increased to $95,000. The reward money includes the support of Health First, the employer of the missing teen’s mother, Suzanne and Bob Wright, co-founders of Autism Speaks, David Perecman of the Perecman Firm, Mayerson & Associates, a New York Law Firm which represents individuals with autism, Manhattan Children’s Center, a nonprofit private autism school an anonymous donor, an anonymous donor and other supporters. Avonte was last seen wearing a gray striped shirt, black jeans and black sneakers. He is 5’3” tall and weighs 125 pounds. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime stoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Photo courtesy of NYPD 25 YEARS TO LIFE OVER $200 DEBT BY MELISSA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com A 20-year-old from Flushing was sentenced to a maximum of life in prison for killing a man over a $200 debt he owed. Victim Laseam Hogan, 27, lent the money to Malcolm Thompson of the Pomonok Houses in 2010, according to the district attorney. Hogan approached Thompson for his $200 in a Pomonok Houses courtyard months later on October 15, officials said. Instead of repaying his debt, then-18-year-old Thompson shot Hogan to death, according to District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “I’ll dead you. You ain’t getting (expletive),” Thompson allegedly told Hogan before whipping out his gun, according to prosecutors. Thompson fired bullets at Hogan’s leg and torso, then stood over him and let another three rounds hit Hogan’s torso, neck and head, according to Brown. Thompson was sentenced last week to 25 years to life in prison, Brown said. He was convicted in August of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a four-week jury trial. “The price that the defendant must now pay to settle what originally had been a minor unpaid debt is of his own doing,” Brown said. “The defendant has shown that he had little regard for human life and is deserving of the serious punishment meted out.” Photo courtesy of Eric Yun The Forest Park Carousel was honored in a ceremony to celebrate its new landmark status. Commemorating a landmark BY LIAM LA GUERRE lguerre@queenscourier.com Elected officials, residents and members of the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) held a ceremony to commemorate the designation of the Forest Park Carousel as a new landmark on Monday, October 28. The LPC unveiled a plaque which details the history of the century-old carousel and its designer, Daniel Muller. “Preserving our history strengthens our neighborhoods,” said Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley. “I was proud to work with the LPC, the Parks Department, and community advocates to ensure this historic carousel continues to be a treasure for future generations.” The carousel, which was brought to Forest Park in 1973, is comprised of 49 horses, a lion, tiger, deer and two chariots arranged in three concentric circles, all carved with great detail. There are also paintings depicting settings in Woodhaven and other parts of Queens. The carousel was shuttered from 2008 to 2012, but last year, New York Carousel Entertainment LLC, which also owns the carousel in Flushing Meadows- Corona Park, decided to buy and revitalize it. The LPC made the classic Woodhaven ride a city treasure and ensured its preservation with a unanimous 8-0 vote on June 25.
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