Texas teen who vanished 8 years ago while walking his dogs is found alive

A teen who went missing more than eight years ago while walking his dogs in north Houston has been found alive, officials said over the weekend. Rudolph “Rudy” Farias was just 17 years old when he vanished in March 2015, and athough his two dogs were ultimately located, Farias had disappeared, CBS affiliate KHOU-TV reported.

The Texas Center for the Missing, a nonprofit organization based in Houston that works on missing persons cases, confirmed Farias was “located safe” in a tweet shared on Saturday. The organization said at the time that Farias had been admitted to a hospital and was recovering, although the tweet did not provide details about his condition.

“After 8 long years, Rudy has been located safe. Please continue to keep his family in your prayers as Rudy recovers in the hospital,” the tweet read.

The Texas Center for the Missing previously posted a message on Twitter about Farias in mid-June.

“Have you seen Rudy?” the organization wrote alongside a digital flyer with basic details about his disappearance and a photograph taken before he went missing as a teen. 

“Missing Since: March 6, 2015 and Last Seen: Houston, TX,” the tweet continued, adding, “Let’s #BringHimHome!”

Tim Miller, an officer with the missing persons division at the Houston Police Department and the founder of the nonprofit Texas EquuSearch, confirmed that Farias was found alive in comments to KHOU, according to the station. 

Farias’ aunt also told the station that his mother is a “mess” in the wake of her son’s return and planned to release a public statement soon. Speaking to the station several years ago, Farias’ family said they were concerned that he may have been abducted and trafficked. 

“He has such a huge heart. He loves with all his heart,” Farias’ mother told KHOU one year after his disappearance. “That’s why we know he wouldn’t just get up and go on his own.”