A Houston area teen who went missing at the age of 17 several years ago has finally been found alive.
“After 8 long years, Rudy has been located safe. Please continue to keep his family in your prayers as Rudy recovers in the hospital,” tweeted Texas Center for the Missing on July 1.
Rudy Farias, now 25 years old, vanished in March 2015 while walking his dogs in northwest Houston. While the animals were discovered, Farias never returned home. However, police were informed that he may have been sleeping behind a family member’s home back in 2018, CNN reported.
He was discovered outside a church in eastern Houston and had multiple scrapes, burns, and bruises. His mother, according to Click2Houston, said he was in “bad shape,” both mentally and physically. Prior to his disappearance, Farias reportedly suffered from depression.
Authorities have not disclosed additional information as to where Farias had been all this time, but no foul play is suspected.
“I think now there’s a lot of questions … to kind of see what happened, where it happened, how it happened,” said Tim Miller of Texas EquuSearch, a non-profit volunteer search and recovery organization, speaking with NBC 5 DFW.
Texas EquuSearch and Texas Center for the Missing were two of a number of organizations that assisted in the search for Farias over the last several years.
Farias is currently recuperating in a local hospital.
“My son Rudy is receiving the care he needs to overcome his trauma, but at this time, he is nonverbal and not able to communicate with us. We are asking for privacy during this difficult time but will share more details as Rudy continues to heal,” said Farias’ mother, Janie Santana, in a statement to KHOU 11.
The Dallas Express reached out to Texas EquuSearch and Texas Center for the Missing for additional information and comment but did not hear back by press time.
