Biological father of malnourished Paulding teen hopes to be reunited

ATLANTA — The biological father of a teen who police say was locked up for years by his mother and step-father says he searched for his son for 15 years after his mother took off with him when he was 3 years old.

Mitch Comer was found at a Los Angeles bus station in September, weighing just 87 pounds at 18 years old. Investigators said Paul and Sheila Comer had kept him locked in a bedroom in their Paulding County home for years prior.

Mitch Comer told investigators his stepfather left him at a bus station on his 18th birthday.

Tony Wawrzynski, of Reno, Nev., found out about his son last week, just before the Comers were indicted on child cruelty and false imprisonment charges. He told Channel 2's Aaron Diamant by phone that he is trying to figure out how this happened.

"Just, how different his life could have been. How different his life should have been," Wawrzynski said.

Wawrzynski said he looked for his son for 15 years after Sheila Comer took him from their home in Arizona when he was 3 years old.

"My hopes are definitely that I'm going to have my son back," Wawrzynski said. "I definitely want some time for us to be able to talk and for him to get to know me."

WSBTV