Lakeville Man Who Abandoned Son Violated Probation, Prosecutors Say

A Lakeville man who gained international infamy when he abandoned his 11-year-old son last year has his probation and may be facing jail time, according to prosecutors.

Steven Alexander Cross, 61, was sentenced in May to two years of supervised probation after being convicted of gross misdemeanor child neglect.  

One of the terms of Cross’ probation was that he cooperate with the recommendations of Dakota County Social Services, including undergoing therapy, and also follow the recommendations of a psychiatrist after being evaluated.

However, Cross did not submit to individual therapy, according to court documents. If he is found guilty of violating terms of his probation, he could be sentenced to up to a year behind bars.

As first reported by Lakeville Patch, Cross abandoned his soon-to-be-foreclosed Lakeville home in July 2011, leaving behind a note in which he told his son, Sebastian, that he was about to lose the house, and that he should go to a neighbor’s house. 

In the note, Cross apologized to the child, and also told him that his mother, Katik Porter, was still alive. Cross, who had sole custody of the boy, had told him for years that Porter was dead.

Cross was found weeks later living in Cambria, Calif. He was extradited to Minnesota to face the child neglect charge. 

In addition to being sentenced to two years of supervised probation, Cross was ordered to pay extradition costs of $2,520, and was given credit for 32 days served in jail.

Sebastian lived for months with a great-aunt before moving in with Porter earlier this year.

Cross remains free pending a probation violation hearing March 1 in Dakota County District Court in Hastings.