A Texas man who allegedly disappeared eight years ago as a teenager was never really missing and had been living with his mother almost the whole time, police have said.
Rudy Farias made international headlines over the weekend when it was reported he had been “located safe” in Houston after going missing in March 2015 when he was 17.
He was reported missing, but came home one day later, according to Houston police.
While the teen, now an adult, was seen by many people coming and going from the house over the years, Farias’s mother identified him as a nephew and not her allegedly missing son, police said.
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There had even been multiple times in the eight years when police officers spoke with Farias and he allegedly gave them fake names.
Houston police Lt. Christopher Zamora told reporters that Farias “was not missing during the eight-year period”.
“In fact, both Rudy’s mother and Rudy himself gave fictitious names while interacting with various patrol officers.
“After investigators talked with him yesterday, it was discovered that he returned home the following day.”
He added: “The mother, Janie, continued to deceive police by remaining adamant that Rudy was still missing.”
Local prosecutors have, so far, declined to press a case against the mother or son, and police did not offer a motive behind the pair’s actions.
Chief Troy Finner said he doesn’t know why Farias’ mother allegedly maintained that her son, then 17, was missing all of this time.
“We can’t predict motivation,” Finner said.
