- Rudy Farias had lost his father and witnessed the tragic death of his brother before the teenage boy went missing.
- After eight years of searching, Farias's family finally got a tip which led them to their lost relative.
- Found with his brother's pendant still around his neck, Rudy is recovering amid his loving family.
In 2015, a Texas family experienced the last in a long line of family tragedies when 17-year-old Rudy Farias went missing on a Friday evening. The teenager had reportedly taken the family's two dogs out for a walk in northwest Houston, and the family realized something had gone wrong when only the two dogs could be found.
Shortly after the family found the two pups at their doorstep, they contacted the police and started the search for their missing son, looking for him in rain-drenched fields, and everywhere else they could think of. The search lasted from March 6 to March 10 but had to be called off because of inclement weather.
Rudy Farias, 2023 | Source: abc13.com
The Houston Police Department restarted the search for the missing boy on March 12, but by the 13th, they thanked everyone for their input, finally calling off the search for good. Although the authorities had stopped searching in the local area, Farias's mom, Janie Santana, refused to give up hope of someday finding her child.
Finding Farias and Bringing the Boy Home
When Farias first disappeared, he was little more than a boy, although he had experienced things that no young man should ever have to endure. At around 13, Farias lost his father, Rudolph Farias III, a Houston police officer. Farias's father had taken his own life, leaving Farias and his brother Charles Uretsi alone with their mom.
Farias has largely refused to communicate with anyone, although his family reported that he believes he is a 14-year-old boy by the name of Julio Torres.
Already traumatized by the loss of his father, Farias would later witness his older brother and "best friend," Uresti, pass away before his eyes after getting in a motorcycle accident. A private investigator the family had hired sympathized with Farias, saying, "He's just had so much thrown at him in the past few years."
A few years went by, and the family slowly got back on their feet after losing two people they loved dearly. However, Farias was still on medication, being treated for his PTSD, anxiety, and depression. A flyer detailing his appearance and describing his personality revealed the teenager had attempted suicide after the loss of his dad and brother.
The same flyer also revealed that Farias may be confused, since the family suspected he had stopped taking his medicine when he went missing. On the night of March 6, when Farias disappeared, only one dog returned home on its own. The very next morning, the second pup showed up at home, although neither was wearing their collar.
When Farias went missing, he had a necklace that belonged to his late brother around his neck. It was a piece of his dearest friend he always kept close to him. When he was finally found as a young man, the necklace was one of the things that helped identify him. His family noted that he was almost unrecognizable when they saw him again.
Farias had spent eight years away from home while his family kept on hoping he would turn up again. The family's prayers were finally answered on Thursday, July 29, 2023. Following a tip from a passer-by, Farias was found on the steps of the Immaculate Heart Church in east Houston, passed out and bloodied.
The young man looked like he had been through the most brutal eight years of his life, with cuts and bruises old and new covering his body. His feet were swollen and full of tiny holes. He had also lost a shocking amount of weight, and his family could barely recognize him.
One family member also noted that the now-25-year-old Farias also had dried blood in his hair and refused to speak to anyone. The young man reportedly flinched whenever someone tried to get close to him, even after they took him to the hospital. He also has little memory of what happened to him.
Farias has largely refused to communicate with anyone, although his family reported that he believes he is a 14-year-old boy by the name of Julio Torres. The doctors have advised his family not to correct him until he has gotten back on his feet. For now, they're just trying to help Farias recover physically.
The family also reported that he is still clutching his late brother's pendant whenever he feels uncomfortable or scared. His family wrote on Facebook that it breaks their heart to see Farias in this state, and they can't even begin to imagine what he had to face during his eight years from home.
After years of searching for Farias, the family has finally found him. That said, neighbors of the family have recently claimed that Farias was never missing at all and that they often saw him in the neighborhood over the last few years. One woman, Kisha Ross, claimed Farias had often spent time with her children.
Ross spoke to ABC13 News, saying Farias was friends with her son, daughter, and cousin, saying they would often spend time in her garage. Ross claimed in a video interview, "He used to come in my garage, chill with my cousin, son, and daughter. That boy has never been missing."
She noted that the guy who befriended her kids had often spoken about his brother, who died in a motorcycle accident, and shared that he would often spend time in the local park on his own, obviously thinking about his brother. Ross and her family apparently often text Rudy, while other neighbors have also claimed to have seen him.
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A few people in the area expressed their shock when the news broke that Rudy had been found, saying they had seen him living with his mother for years now. Many residents were confused as to why Farias's mother would say the young man was missing, since they have often seen him around.
Little information about Farias's whereabouts since he was first reported missing has come to light, and the police have not had a chance to speak with Farias himself. The family hopes to address these rumors and the greater issue of where Farias has been these last years soon. Apparently, the young man is feeling better and will be able to speak to the police.
Want more like this? Click here to read what Rudy's neighbors have to say about the situation.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "help" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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