Man found alive 8 years after going missing was spotted by family in 2018, Houston police say
Rudy Farias' mother told ABC13 the now-25-year-old will only say a few words and go into a fetal position.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston family got miraculous news over the weekend, eight years after a 17-year-old went missing in northwest Houston. Now, the mystery surrounding his reappearance is making national headlines as questions remain about where he had been for all those years.
Rudy Farias, now 25 years old, is recovering in the hospital.
In an update on Monday, Houston police said there was a reported sighting of the missing man by his family back in 2018, years after he first went missing.
On Sunday night, ABC13 spoke to Farias' mother on the phone, who shared pictures of him in a hospital bed and said someone called 911 after finding him outside a church, unresponsive in southeast Houston on Thursday.
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The mother added he was found with cuts and bruises all over his body and blood in his hair and believes he was badly abused and beaten. People close to the investigation say there have been inconsistencies in the mother's story since her son's disappearance in 2015.
Farias was 17 years old when he was walking his two dogs near Tidwell and Park Drive on March 6, 2015. His family reported him missing after his dogs were recovered, but Farias was not found.
In 2015, authorities reported Farias was diagnosed with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. His mother said he battled with depression and anxiety since his half-brother was killed in a motorcycle accident back in 2011.
Texas EquuSearch began asking the public for help finding him, noting that he was possibly disoriented and hadn't been taking his medication.
Authorities said they temporarily suspended the search for the then-17-year-old on March 10, 2015, while they worked to gather more information. Two days later, on March 12, the hunt continued and ended the next day.
On March 13, 2015, authorities thanked searchers for their commitment while looking for Farias in rain-soaked fields.
Two years after Farias went missing, his mother told ABC13 she was worried for her own safety and thought there was something suspicious about her son's disappearance.
According to HPD, officers got a call from Farias' family in September 2018 after he was spotted living behind a family's home. When officials arrived at the location, they didn't find the missing man.
Nearly five years later, Houston police confirm that Farias was found at the church located on 76th and Avenue K in Magnolia Park on Thursday after 12 a.m. A caller told authorities that someone was sleeping outside the church's front doors. HPD says that Farias had an item on him with a family member's identification which is how they were able to contact his family.
The Houston Fire Department also responded to that initial call. They told ABC13 that police and Farias' mother were at the scene when they got there. Officials said Farias declined to be taken to the hospital and was instead signed into the care of his mother.
She has not returned ABC13's calls about why they declined medical treatment at first.
Farias' mother on Sunday said they have tried talking to him, but he will only say a few words and go into a fetal position. She said it would be a long healing journey but is thankful her son has been found alive.
Investigations with Houston Police Department plan to speak with Farias on Wednesday to determine his whereabouts since he was reported missing. Officials would not say why there wasn't an urgency to speak with him sooner.
