Texas Teen Who Was Reported Missing 8 Years Ago Allegedly Found Living With His Mom

Rudolph Farias, who is called Rudy, was 17 years old when his mother reported him missing on March 7, 2015. He seemingly disappeared while walking his two dogs near his family’s home in northeast Houston, Texas. At the time, he was reportedly depressed after seeing his brother die in front of him, according to TIME.

Now 25 years old, police say that Rudy has been living with his mother the whole time he was allegedly missing, reported CNN. They say he returned home one day later, on March 8, yet his mother allegedly deceived police and continued to claim that he was missing.

Lieutenant Christopher Zamora said in a news conference that both Rudy and his mother had provided fake names and incorrect dates of birth to Houston police officers when they were investigating the young man’s disappearance over the years.

Neighbors have reported that they never knew Farias was missing, and some claimed to have seen him frequently over the years. “He used to come in my garage, chill with my cousin, son, and daughter. That boy has never been missing,” Kisha Ross, a neighbor, told ABC 13. She also added that sometimes she would see Rudy going to the park by himself.

This complex story came to light when Rudy was found in front of the Immaculate Conception of Mary Church on June 29, 2023. His mother released a statement shortly afterwards, stating, "What we do know is at the time of his recovery, a good Samaritan located him unresponsive and immediately called police. 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."

In another twist on this confusing case, Pauline Sanchez, Rudy’s aunt, said that she saw her nephew for the first time in eight years after he was found. She also said that he no longer wants to live with his mother.

“His mentality, he needs to get well. He’s going to be cautious. I still feel that he’s traumatized and gone through a lot. I still feel action should be taken. He doesn’t want to see his mom and doesn’t want to go back to his mom,” Sanchez told NBC News.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner stated that they are looking at Farias as a potential victim. "I'm not going to say he's a victim or not. We're going to give respect to everybody that's involved. We're going to conduct our investigation. We're kind of right at the beginning of it," Finner stated as shared by Houston Public Media.

The statement comes after activist Quanell X sat in on an interview Rudy had with police. Newsweek reported that Quanell X then told the media that Rudy accused his mother of drugging him and abusing him since March 2015. However, police have not made any arrests, and no charges have been filed.

The Houston Police Department asks that everyone respect the process of the active investigation.