It was two months ago Friday that 2-year-old Sky Metalwala’s mother reported him missing. On Friday, Sky’s father said he fears the case could be jeopardized if his other child is allowed to visit with her mother, Julia Biryukova.

Biryukova did not show up for a court hearing Friday, but Sky’s father, Solomon Metalwala, did. He’s fighting to keep Biryukova from having any visitation with their 5-year-old daughter. Solomon’s attorney told KIRO 7’s Michelle Millman it’s not because he is vindictive; it’s because the little girl could be a witness to what happened to her brother.

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“There are only two witnesses here: One of them is the person in a position of authority, the mother, and the other is a minor child,” said Clay Terry, Solomon’s attorney. “Any whisper of any kind that says, ‘Don’t talk about Sky,’ could put back, potentially, 59 days of work.”

Biryukova’s attorney, Rob Wyman, said, “The mother, of course, desperately wants to see her child.”

He told the judge Friday that even though Biryukova was granted temporary visitation rights to see her daughter, she’s chosen not to because she fears it would confuse the 5-year-old if visitation were ever taken away.

“Her decision not to visit at the moment is purely out of wanting things to go right,” Wyman said.

Solomon Metalwala was granted custody of his daughter, but he wants to make it permanent. When asked if his daughter had talked about Sky, Solomon wouldn’t say. And although he didn’t go so far as to say his daughter knows something about the case, he did say any information needs to come from her.

“I don’t want to put another burden on her to tell me, ‘Where is Sky?’” Solomon said. “This burden that she has needs to release from her, not (be) taken out.”

The next hearing is set for January 20, when Solomon’s attorney will propose their parenting plan. No word on whether Biryukova will be at the hearing.