Rudy Farias: Claims missing Houston boy was kept as ‘slave’ by mother

An activist helping Rudy Farias, who supposedly went missing aged 17, alleged on Wednesday that the 25-year-old was actually trapped at home with his mother, who subjected him to twisted abuse and “made him play daddy”.

Community activist Quanell X held an impromptu press conference with local reporters where he shared the details of the alleged abuse that he said came to light during a conversation between Mr Farias and Houston investigators, the New York Post reported.

“She would ask him to play daddy, she told him that he had to be the husband,” Quanell X said.

He claimed Mr Farias told him and authorities that his mother, Janie Santana, kept him under wraps for nearly a decade while lying to and abusing him.

Houston police said on Wednesday that they are investigating the case and did not announce any charges against Ms Santana.

Police added that the department cannot “discuss specifics of the interviews” and cannot confirm whether the reported contents of the interview are “entirely factual”.

However, police are expected to give an update on Thursday, US time.

Mr Farias was found unresponsive outside a church with cuts and bruises on Thursday after he was reported missing in 2015, his mother claimed days ago, but now her story is being heavily scrutinised.

The troubled man’s mother asked the activist to join them in a meeting with investigators at a local hotel. But he was shocked to learn what Farias has to say, according to local TV station KHOU.

“I heard horrific things from that young man,” Quanell X said. “And I did not want him to see me start shedding tears but I couldn’t hold back the tears because of the things he was saying to us — the detective and myself.”

“No child, no child should ever be treated like that by your own mother,” he said.

Quanell X said Mr Farias made the claims when he and his mother were separated at one point during their time with police.

Mr Farias’ mother told Fox 26 off-camera on Wednesday that her son was kidnapped and taken to Mexico eight years ago before he found his way home.

She also reportedly said she wanted to cut her son’s interview with police short because he had been through a lot and he wasn’t completely with it.

The mother and son were at the hotel after police left, KHOU reported.

‘Slave’

Quanell X said Mr Farias accused Ms Santana of forcing her son to sleep in bed with her while he had no clothes on and giving him “hallucination drugs, mushrooms” and more.

He also claimed he told police his mother would often lock him in a room.

Mr Farias allegedly said he fled from home recently because he wanted his own life, Quanell X said. He allegedly said he was tired of living like a slave.

“What troubled him the most was her crossing his personal space, boundaries,” Quanell X recounted.

“He said that she would make him sleep in the bed with her and he said that she made him play daddy. He said that he didn’t like him getting into bed, that he would try to sneak out of the bed and sometimes hide under the bed but she told him he had to be her husband.”

The mother also allegedly stared at him in the shower and would make him bathe her, Quanell X claimed Mr Farias told police.

After Wednesday’s meeting, Mr Farias was seen walking out of the hotel with a blanket over his head and Quanell X escorting him into a car before they went back inside, TV station KPRC reported.

When Mr Farias originally went missing while walking his dogs in 2015, he came back two days later, Quanell X said.

“And she told him he had to hide,” he said. “That he was going to get in trouble and they were going to arrest him for running away.”

Neighbours told network ABC-KTRK this week they often saw Mr Farias around the neighbourhood in recent years and were shocked to hear he had been missing for nearly a decade.

Neighbours also told the television station he was known as Dolph, short for Rudolph.

“He used to come in my garage, chill with my cousin, son, and daughter,” Kisha Ross told the news outlet.

Quanell X claimed on Wednesday that Mr Farias was allowed to visit the homes of neighbours under an assumed name and that Ms Santana thought enough years passed that people had forgotten about the case.

Four private investigators who tried to locate Mr Farias told Insider they were concerned whether Ms Santana was telling the truth.

“There’s something dark and dirty here,” Brenda Paradise told the outlet.

This story appeared in the New York Post and is reproduced with permission.