HAMPTON, Va. — For the first time, 13News Now is exclusively talking to Noah Tomlin's biological father.
His relationship to the child has been confirmed through court records.
We respected his request to not publicized his name or use his picture because of comments he's already received online.
"I got people blaming me for his death, saying I should have been there. I should have done something. Well, how can I do something if I didn't know he was mine?" he said.
The North Carolina man said he did not know he was Noah's dad until it was too late.
13News Now reporter Madeline Schmitt asked if he had known he was the father before Noah was abused and killed in Julia Tomlin's care, "could things have been different?"
"I know they would have been different," he said.
The man tells us he suspected he was the boy's father back in 2017, but claims Julia Tomlin said Noah was not his and to never contact her again.
Then, just weeks before the toddler's disappearance and death this year, he said a family member reached out because Noah looked like him. But as Julia wished, he said, he stayed away, until the horrific turn of events.
After the news of Noah's death, he decided to take a paternity test.
"Oh, I'm beyond angry," he said. "I would have taken full custody away from her. Because of her drug use."
He said the drug use was the reason he parted ways with Julia and never looked back. Had he known Noah was his son though, he would have fought for him.
"In my opinion, she should rot beneath the jail," he said.
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