Batey Youth With Mother, Will Return to Dad’s Partner

Brian Batey, once the object of a bitter custody fight between his parents, is in Los Angeles with his mother but plans to return to Palm Springs and does not want to live with his mother permanently, the homosexual partner of the youth’s late father said Friday.

“We talked and he said he wants to come back Sunday to Palm Springs and go back to summer school,” said Craig Corbett, the longtime partner of Brian’s father Frank, who died June 26 after a lengthy battle with AIDS.

Batey, 16, stepped out Wednesday night for a “quick hamburger” with his mother, Betty Lou Batey of San Diego, but failed to return within the hour as he had promised.

The overnight disappearance led Corbett to say he feared the boy had been abducted by his mother. But late Thursday evening, Corbett said, he tracked Brian down by phone at a relative’s home in Los Angeles.

“I think he is attempting to talk to his mother about not going into a big (custody) battle,” Corbett said. “I’m sure that’s very hard on her, but he would like to remain here with me, and continue going to school here. This has been his home for 12 years--the same room, closet, bathroom. There’s some stability here.”

Police Called

Palm Springs police spokesman Fred Donnell said the teen-ager called the department earlier Thursday evening from San Diego to report that he was with his mother by his own free will.

“He said he was fine, was visiting with his mom and that he would remain with his mom for a day or two until things cooled down, and that he planned to return to Palm Springs,” Donnell said.

He said Palm Springs police were not pursuing the matter because, with his father’s death, there was no apparent crime with the boy being with his mother, and no complaints had been filed.

Betty Lou Batey was charged with child stealing after she lost custody of her son to her estranged husband in 1982 and days later abducted him, saying she was concerned for his safety and welfare in living with a homosexual father. The charges were ultimately dropped.

For 19 months the mother and son lived in Texas and Colorado with members of her Pentecostal church, before they were tracked down in Colorado following a manhunt that attracted national publicity.

A year ago San Diego Superior Court Judge Judith McConnell gave custody of Brian to Frank Batey, over the mother’s protests. McConnell has retained jurisdiction on the issue and the custody issue may again go to court.

Corbett said he is willing to fight to keep Brian in Palm Springs if that is what the youth wants. Both sides have retained attorneys.

Corbett said Friday that he wants Brian Batey to decide for himself where he wants to live, “and he has indicated to me and others that he wants to continue living with me.

“I will raise him, educate him and make life nice for him, as I promised his dad I would do, but I don’t want to put up with any of her tactics anymore,” Corbett said. “I would want something on paper so she can’t keep tormenting me and transferring to me or her child her hatred of Frank.”

Betty Lou Batey could not be reached for comment Friday. Corbett said Brian told him that he and his mother were staying in Los Angeles with other relatives.

“That way they can all work on him,” Corbett said.

Times staff writer Anthony Perry contributed to this story.