Rudy Farias’ mother ‘claimed he was kidnapped by human traffickers’ while she hid Texas man in home

Private investigator told The Independent she grew suspicious of Janie Santana after devoting hundreds of hours to finding Rudy Farias

Rudy Farias mother is not facing charges for eight-year lie, police say

Rudy Farias’ mother once claimed that her son had been kidnapped by human traffickers while she was actually hiding him in her own home, according to a private investigator.

Brenda Paradise told The Independent she devoted hundreds of hours to finding Mr Farias but grew suspicious of his mother Janie Santana.

Ms Paradise said that Ms Santana repeatedly asked for money on her Facebook pages to help track her “missing” son down.

Once, she asked for money to pay a ransom to a suspected human trafficker in Tijuana, Mexico, who she falsely claimed had kidnapped Mr Farias. She even went to a morgue to identify a deceased body, Ms Paradise said.

Mr Farias made headlines last week when Ms Santana announced that the now-25-year-old had been “found” eight years after she reported him missing in 2015.

Houston police later confirmed that he was never missing and had been living at home with his mother the whole time.

Community activist Quanell X later claimed Mr Farias had alleged alarming abuse by his mother. After his claims were refuted by police, he doubled down in an interview with The Independent. Ms Santana has not been charged.

Key Points

• An 8-year search for Rudy Farias came to a miracle end. But was he really missing?
• Timeline of Rudy Farias’s disappearance and discovery
• Houston investigators say Rudy Farias was never missing
• District Attorney will not pursue charges against Rudy Farias’ mother
• GoFundMe to search for Rudy Farias raised $2k

[10 July 2023 18:00 · Ariana Baio]

Houston police ask public to ‘respect’ investigation

[10 July 2023 19:00 · Ariana Baio]

The GoFundMe for Rudy Farias

About two weeks after Janie Santana filed a missing persons report for her 17-year-old son Rudy Farias in March 2015, a GoFundMe was started to raise money for herself and search efforts for Mr Farias.

The description of the now-deleted GoFundMe reads: “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 !”

It goes on to ask the public for donations so they can “offer a reward” to someone who gives them information that could lead Ms Santana to Mr Farias.

The only problem is that by that time, Mr Farias was already home and no longer missing.

“Rudy’s mother is a single parent who has already lost her eldest son in 2011 and Rudy’s father in 2014 !!! She 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!!”

Houston police determined last week that Mr Farias was never actually missing and had been home with his mother the entire eight years she claimed he was missing.

The GoFundMe, which raised a little more than $2,000 in the years it was active has been taken down.

GoFundMe campaign for Rudy Farias (GoFundMe)

[10 July 2023 20:00 · Ariana Baio]

Relative of Rudy Farias says his mother is ‘manipulative’

Michelle Rodriguez, the cousin of Rudy Farias, speculated that something more sinister may be occurring in case of his fictitious disappearance.

While speaking with Chris Cuomo for NewsNation on Thursday evening, Ms Rodriguez said it was not like Mr Farias to lie about his disappearance but it was like his mother, Janie Santana

“She’s very conniving, she’s very manipulative,” Ms Rodriguez said. “She tries to make people fear her.”

[10 July 2023 21:00 · Ariana Baio]

Rudy Farias’ cousin accuses police of ‘covering up’ information

The cousin of Rudy Farias has claimed the abuse allegations regarding his mother, Janie Santana, are true and accused the Houston police of ‘covering up’ information.

Speaking with Fox 7 Austin, Michelle Rodriguez alleged that her grandmother saw Mr Farais experience abuse at his mother’s hands. The allegations are similar to the ones that community activist Quanell X made after it was revealed that Mr Farias was not actually missing for eight years but living with his mother.

“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,” Ms Rodriguez said.

Houston authorities said in a press conference last week that Mr Farias never made a statement alleging that his mother abused him. They also claimed he returned to her after police spoke to the mother and son.

Though police confirmed that Ms Santana did lie to authorities about Mr Farias’ identity over the eight years, the district attorney declined to press charges.

“They are covering up what they knew years ago, and they didn’t want to come out.”

“It’s all going to come out, you can’t hide, nothing is going to be hidden, so whatever you think you can hide, good luck it’s coming out,” Ms Rodriguez said.

[10 July 2023 21:30 · Ariana Baio]

Quanell X responds to Houston Police contradicting his statements

In an interview with FOX26 Houston, Quanell X the community activist and councellor who met with Rudy Farias after he was “found” says he asked police if there was anything he shouldn’t tell the media and they told him no.

Quanell X told reporters that Mr Farias revealed he was abused by his mother for the eight years she claimed he was missing.

But then in a press conference, police refuted that saying Mr Farias never gave a statement about being abused.

“As the law as my witness, I asked them three times ‘Is there anything that I should not go out there and say to the media that would jeopardise your investigation because I don’t wanna do that’. They said ‘no’.” Quanell X said.