Child Reported Missing 13 Years Ago Found Safe

Culled from news.sky.com

A child who disappeared 13 years ago in Alabama has been found safe and unharmed in Cleveland, Ohio.

Julian Hernandez was five years old when his mother reported him missing in August 2002.

His father, 53-year-old Bobby Hernandez, has been arrested in Ohio and is facing abduction charges in Alabama, among other counts.

Vestavia Hills Police Lt Johnny Evans told WVTM-TV: "I've been doing this 25 years and it's something I've never experienced before.

"That's the reason you never give up and you keep looking."

Lt Evans said he's been told Julian Hernandez is "a very good student" and by all accounts a well-adjusted young man.

The police spokesman said: "It seems to be he was taken care of." 

Bobby Hernandez was supposed to drop off Julian at nursery on the day the boy went missing, but he never did so.

Investigators suspected the father and child could have been using fake names, but were never able to locate the pair of them.

A lawyer for Bobby Hernandez told News Net 5 the father lived under the assumed name Jonathan Mangina and his son went by JJ.

Police received hundreds of leads over the years, from Florida to Canada, but every one led to a dead end. 

Their big break came when Julian tried to apply for college, but his Social Security number didn't match his name.

School officials found out that he was on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children database.

Vicki Anderson, an FBI special agent in Ohio, said they received information on 30 October that a local teenager may be a missing child.

Police said Julian's mother, who has not been identified, was ecstatic to learn he had been found.

"She's been through so many false claims, chasing leads for 13 years and she was apprehensive but real excited that he was found safe and doing well,'' said Lt Evans.

A representative of Julian Hernandez's family released a statement on Thursday saying they were "overjoyed".

The father made his first appearance at Cuyahoga County Court on Wednesday, and his bond was set at $250,000 (£164,000).

Hernandez is also charged with tampering with records in Ohio to get a driver's licence.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 12 November.