A 25-year-old Houston man reported missing by his mother for the last eight years — while living at her home — no longer wants any contact with his mom, who has since reportedly gone on the run.
Rudy Farias, who was 17 when he reportedly went missing, seemed to reappear over the July 4 holiday weekend, NBC News reports. His mother, Janie Santana, had reported Farias, who is nonverbal, missing in 2015.
However, it’s since been discovered that Farias turned up a day later. Yet his mother never alerted authorities, the outlet reports.
On Thursday night, Farias’ aunt, Pauline Sanchez Rodriguez, saw her nephew for the first time in eight years. She described him as “traumatized” and added, “he doesn’t want to see… (or) go back to his mom.”
“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,” Rodriguez told the outlet. “He doesn’t want to see his mom and doesn’t want to go back to his mom.”
Rodriguez said Farias is doing “well” but is “a bit skinny.” She also doubled down on his “plans to stay away from his mother.”
“I felt a great presence. It was beautiful. We hugged until I finally let go. He’s a bit skinny,” she said. “He’s doing well but plans to stay away from his mother.”
Meanwhile, Farias is now staying at a friend’s house, according to Rodriguez.
She said she has not asked her nephew about what transpired over the last eight years.
The New York Post reports that Rodriguez accused her sister of drugging and molesting Farias. She said he was forced to “play daddy” and to be “her husband,”
Farias’ mom has reportedly tried to call the home where her son is staying. However, he refuses to talk to her, Rodriguez told the Post.
It indeed remains a mystery as to how Farias remained under the radar for so long. Lt. Christopher Zamora told CNN that police officers in Houston had actually interacted with Farias and his mother in the years he was “missing.”
However, Zamora says they both mislead officers by providing fake names and dates of birth.
On Thursday, several neighbors said they had no idea Farias had been reported missing. Some even said they had often seen him in the neighborhood.
But other neighbors, like those who live across the street from Farias’ mother’s home, said they hadn’t seen him once since he was reported missing in 2015.
Zamora said that no charges have been filed as of this time.
“(The district attorney) has declined any charges at this time for making fictitious reports and failure to ID,” Zamora said.
However, Farias’ mother did file a missing persons report and could at least face charges of filing false reports or providing false names, police said.
The Post reports that Santana’s current whereabouts are unknown as of Friday (Jul. 7). A prior report from the outlet alleges that a neighbor saw Santana leaving her home “shortly after midnight” after speaking with police.
Zamora has since added that new leads in the case are still coming in, and “the investigation is (still) active.”
This is a developing story. Be sure to check back in with The Shade Room for more updates as they come.