With Gay Father Dead, Mother Claims Son Will Live With Her

Betty Lou Batey, who once stole away with her son Brian for 19 months rather than allow him to live with his gay father, said Wednesday that Brian plans to live with her now that his father has died.

Her claim--made in a call to The Times a week after she again disappeared with the 16-year-old--contradicted the contention of Craig Corbett, the long-time companion of Brian’s father, Frank Batey, who has insisted that the youth wants to continue living with him in Palm Springs.

Brian’s current wishes--and his whereabouts--remained uncertain Wednesday. His mother said the teen-ager had returned to Corbett’s home in Palm Springs to make funeral arrangements for his father, who died June 26 after a battle with AIDS.

Departs With Mother

But there was no answer throughout the day at the Corbett home. Neither Corbett nor Brian could be reached.

Brian left the Palm Springs home last Wednesday evening with his mother, who was accompanied by Palm Springs police as a precaution against a confrontation with Corbett. The youth said he was going out for a hamburger and would be back in a hour.

When he did not return, Corbett expressed concern that Brian had again been abducted by his mother, who went underground with him in 1982 after a San Diego judge awarded custody rights to Frank Batey.

By the end of last week, however, Corbett had spoken to Brian at his half-sister’s home in the Los Angeles area. Afterward, Corbett said Brian wanted to return to Palm Springs and finish high school, adding that he expected the boy home in a few days.

Betty Batey said Wednesday that Brian’s long-term plans are otherwise.

‘Home Is With Me’

“Brian has been with the family during the holidays and had a nice time,” she said. “Right now, at the present time, he is in Palm Springs and he has some things that need to be finalized--the funeral arrangements and school and so forth.

“He will be coming home, to San Diego, at a later time,” she said. “Home is with me.”

Betty Batey declined to address the legal questions surrounding Brian’s status, although she promised to discuss them at a later date. Corbett has vowed to go to court, if necessary, to defend Brian’s desire to remain with him.

Legal experts say Betty Batey automatically regained custody of Brian when her ex-husband died.