Family of Rudy Farias Make Fresh Allegations Against Mother

The family of a Texas man who was reported missing as a teenager in 2015 and found alive in a church earlier this month have made fresh allegations against his mother.

The case took an unexpected turn on Thursday when Houston police revealed that Rudolph "Rudy" Farias IV, now 25, was only gone for a day, but he and his mother had maintained the ruse for eight years by using false names.

Police made the revelation after allegations were made against Farias' mother, Janie Santana. Quanell X, a community activist who was present when detectives spoke to Farias on Wednesday, told reporters that Farias said he had been held captive, drugged and sexually abused by his mother.

During a news conference on Thursday, police said no allegations of abuse had been reported by Farias. They said prosecutors did not file any charges against Santana and her son for making false reports and using false names, but the investigation is ongoing.

In an interview with Fox 7, Farias' cousin Michelle Rodriguez alleged that police "are covering up what they knew years ago, and they didn't want to come out."

Rodriguez said: "Prior to Rudy's disappearance, his so-called disappearance, his mother had been seen by my late grandma causing abuse to Rudy sexually, physically, mentally. This did not just start when Janie reported Rudy missing."

She added: "Janie needs to be brought in."

Newsweek has contacted the Houston police department for comment. Santana could not be reached for comment.

Other members of Farias' family have also said charges should be filed against Santana.

Farias' aunt, Pauline Sanchez Rodriguez, told reporters outside Houston police headquarters on Thursday that Santana is a "liar."

She said Santana, identified by local media outlets as her step-sister, "knows a lot of people" in the police department and "that's why her freaking a** has been covered up."

Thursday's news conference came a week after police said they found Farias, having received a call about a person lying on the ground in front of a church in southeast Houston.

Authorities had not previously said where Farias had spent the past eight years since he was reported missing on March 7, 2015, as a 17-year-old who took his two dogs for a walk near his family's home in northeast Houston.

Lt. Christopher Zamora said investigators concluded Farias returned home the day after he was reported missing but "the mother, Janie, continued to deceive police by remaining adamant that Rudy was still missing."

Farias and his mother had various interactions with officers over the past eight years, Zamora said. "During these contacts, fictitious names and date of births were given—misleading the officers—and Rudy would remain missing," Zamora said.

Pauline Sanchez Rodriguez said she and other family members had not spoken with Farias and were worried about him.

Zamora said Farias was safe and he had decided to stay "with his mother by choice."

After police announced that Farias had been found, Santana released a statement saying her son had been found "after being missing for 8 years."

She said her son was "receiving the care he needs to overcome his trauma, but at this time, he is nonverbal and not able to communicate with us."