A 25-year-old Texas man who was recently found outside of a Houston church after disappearing eight years ago was never really missing, neighbors allege.
Rudolph “Rudy” Farias IV was just 17 years old when he disappeared from his north Houston neighborhood in 2015 while walking his two dogs. Neighbors of the family, however, are questioning those claims, stating they never knew the teen was reported missing as he was allegedly seen around the neighborhood on a regular basis. (RELATED: Drake Bell Reappears After Police Reported Him ‘Missing And Endangered’)
“He used to come in my garage, chill with my cousin, son, and daughter,” neighbor Kisha Ross told ABC 13 News. “That boy has never been missing.”
Another neighbor, who wished to stay anonymous, also alleged Farias has been living at his mother’s home for the past eight years. “I was just shocked someone over here was missing, and we see him,” he told the outlet. “It’s shocking to everyone.”
Family members of Rudy Farias continue to arrive in Humble… this after Quanell X said he met with Rudy & @houstonpolice investigators here. Quanell X claims Rudy said he was with his mother for 8 years, he was sexually abused and drugged. The latest coming up on @KHOU at 6. pic.twitter.com/wJKKugI9Sq
— Anayeli Ruiz KHOU (@AnayeliNews) July 6, 2023
A community activist who goes by the name Quanell X met with Farias, Janie Santana — Farias’ mother — and Houston police at a local hotel July 5. Following that discussion, Quanell X alleged that Farias has been “hidden in plain sight” by his mother who essentially removed him from society after a two-day runaway attempt, Click2Houston reported.
“This young man said that when he initially ran away, he came back two days later and she told him that he had to hide, that he was going to get in trouble and they were going to arrest him for running away and that he had to continue hiding,” Quanell told the outlet. “So she hid him out for a while then brought him back to the house and hid him in the home and, initially, whenever the investigators would come, she would hide him in the house.”
Quanell added that he heard “horrific things” from Farias about his treatment during those eight years, telling the outlet, “No child, no child should ever be treated like that by your own mother.”
Pauline Sanchez Rodriguez, Farias’ aunt, claimed that Santana had been lying about Farias’ whereabouts for years, telling Click2Houston, “everything’s coming out to the light.”
“We understand why the public is asking questions; we get it,” Houston Police Chief Troy Finner stated, according to the New York Post. “Just like anything, HPD will get to the bottom of it. The truth is going to come out, and I don’t want to get ahead of that,” Finner stated.