In a press conference on Thursday, investigators were questioned by reporters about the status of Rudy Farias whose mother lied about him being missing for eight years.

Police confirmed that Mr Farias is “safe” and “with his mother by choice.”

Several people raised alarms over Mr Farias due to allegations that his mother, Janie Santana, was abusing him. However, investigators said that Mr Farias never said this to them.

Police reminded people that Mr Farias is 25 years old can make his own decisions.

A community activist who first aired claims that Rudy Farias was abused by his mother has doubled down after a denial by Houston police.

Quanell X, who says he was in the room with Mr Farias when he spoke to investigators on Wednesday, emerged from the meeting to tell reporters that the 25-year-old had described being hidden and subjected to abuse by his mother, Janie Santana, for eight years after she reported him missing in 2015.

Houston police officials denied this account at a press conference on Thursday, saying there was no evidence that Mr Farias was abused.

Reached by The Independent shortly after the press conference, Quanell X said: “I believe that Rudy is absolutely a victim.”

Sheila Flynn and Bevan Hurley report:

Weeks after Rudy Farias was declared “missing”, a GoFundMe was created to raise money to help search for him and support his mother, Janie Santana.

“Please help us find RUDY FARIAS IV! Rudy went out to walk his 2 puppies on March 6th 2015 and has not been seen nor heard from since then ! Rudy’s 2 puppies WERE FOUND but not Rudy! He suffers from both physical and mental disabilities, so we need to get him home ASAP!” The description reads.

At the time the GoFundMe was created, Mr Farias had already returned home to his mother – police confirmed in a press conference on Thursday.

The GoFundMe, which has now been removed, is available to view with the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine feature. In a screengrab dated 8 November 2020, the GoFundMe had raised $2,025 but set a goal of $75,000.

The description continues: “[Ms Santana] needs financial assistance since she is unable to work understandably so with her son missing! The bills are pilling up and Rudy’s mother’s health has also deteriorated as she is devestated ....mentally...physically and emotionally utterly exhausted!!”

“Please dig deep into your hearts and put yourselves in Rudy’s mother place... she cannot do this Alone! Give what you can and know that God will bless you and all that you do for her! We Believe that Rudy IS STILL ALIVE AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT!”

The GoFundMe included a link to a video slideshow of Mr Farias set to slow piano music with an unknown woman’s voice asking for help looking for Mr Farias.

Rudy Farias returned home the day after he went missing in 2015, and despite “numerous” false statements being made to police no criminal charges are currently planned, the Houston police have said.

Houston Police Chief Troy Finner told a press conference on Thursday that police interviews with Mr Farias and his mother Janie Santana on Wednesday had found no evidence of sexual or abuse during the eight years he was supposedly missing, despite claims by a counsellor who sat in on a police interview with Mr Farias on Wednesday.

Mr Farias, 25, was reported missing in March 2015, and an open police investigation into his disappearance continued until his mother Ms Santana said he had been discovered outside a church in Houston, Texas on 29 June.

However, Houston police said both Mr Farias and Ms Santana had claimed he was her nephew when interviewed by police.

Bevan Hurley reports:

Quanell X, the community activist and counsellor who first aired allegations that Mr Farias was abused by his mother Janie Santana, has doubled down on those claims after they were denied by police.

“I believe that Rudy is absolutely a victim,” Quanell X told The Independent’s Sheila Flynn shortly after Houston police said Mr Farias is not considered a victim at Thursday’s press conference.

He went on to repeat claims he made to reporters the day before after sitting in on a meeting between Mr Farias and detectives.

In that meeting, Quanell X claimed Mr Farias said he was hidden in his mother’s home and subjected to abuse for eight years after she reported him missing.

Police maintain that Mr Farias did not report abuse in the meeting, but did confirm that Mr Farias was never actually missing.

Speaking to The Independent, Quanell X accused police of “trying to hide from conducting a shady sham investigation”.

“It’s all confusing as hell to me now,” he said.

After investigators in Houston revealed that Rudy Farias was never missing and contradicted previous abuse allegations, reporters shot questions at officials during a press conference.

However, authorities were unable to answer many of the pressing questions due to the investigation being ongoing.

Houston police chief Troy Finner told reporters that “Our investigation is our investigation” and “We treat it the same, everybody has a role in society and we respect everybody including our activist but the integrity of the investigation.”

A Texas man, who reportedly vanished eight years ago and was recently found, was never actually missing, neighbours have claimed.

Andrea Blanco reports:

Authorities in the Houston Police Department said Rudy Farias did not make statements related to sexual abuse allegations while speaking with investigators this past week.

Police chief Troy Finner said he could not go into detail about the discussion he had with Mr Farias due to the active investigation but that no statements related to that were made.

In a bombshell allegation, local activist and counsellor Quanell X claimed Mr Farias told him and investigators that he had was allegedly drugged and abused by his mother.

Police did not outrightly dispute Quanell X’s claims but also did not confirm them.