A boy who vanished three years ago has been found safe, ending a search that had deeply affected his family and friends.
Andrew Escobar went missing in El Paso, Texas, back in July 2023, after his mother, Miriam Felix, reportedly fled with him when he was just 11 years old.
Since Andrew’s disappearance, his father, Juan Escobar, alongside authorities, tirelessly looked for him.
Juan shared that he and Andrew’s stepmother, Monique, were so committed to finding him that they decided to quit their jobs and focus solely on the search.
It was on a Wednesday when Huang received an unexpected call from an officer in El Paso, informing her that Miriam had raised a flag while trying to cross back into the U.S. from Mexico.
“His mother triggered an alarm, prompting them to check his ID, which is when they discovered he was a missing person, and they took them into custody,” Huang explained.
Before being found, Andrew was last seen in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Albuquerque police noted that Miriam was wanted on various felony warrants linked to violations of her custody agreement.
Despite the long absence, Juan continued to celebrate key moments, such as his son’s birthday. He reminisced, saying, “We were best friends. We did everything together, and he was always joking around.”
Juan expressed gratitude for having Andrew back but revealed that Miriam traveled to several countries while on the run, like Albania and Turkey. Although physically safe, Huang conveyed concern for Andrew’s mental well-being given the experiences he’s had.
“Physically I’m fine, but the last three years have been tough emotionally and mentally,” Huang noted.
Darlene Gomez, who assisted the family throughout the search, mentioned that Miriam is currently facing extradition to Mexico, and there are still many uncertainties as the family begins to reunite after years apart.
