In August 2002, Julian Tiberius Hernandez went missing in Birmingham, Alabama. His mother notified the police after his father, Bobby Hernandez, failed to drop Julian off at preschool. Instead, Mr Hernandez withdrew a large amount from his bank account as well as some of Julian’s possessions and fled with the then five-year-old boy.
13 years later, living under another name in Cleveland, Ohio, Julian’s true identity was revealed when his social security number did not match his name on his college applications.
His school counsellor looked into the issue only to find Julian listed on the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children’s database.
Authorities immediately notified Julian’s mother who was obviously “ecstatic” at the news. Bobby Hernandez has since been arrested for tampering with records and is likely to face abduction charges in Alabama.
Lt. Johnny Evans of the Vestavia Hills Police Department in Alabama told, local news channel WVTM13 about the discovery.
“I’ve been doing this for 25 years and it’s something I’ve never experienced before.”
“They [the investigators] spent tireless hours doing everything they could to try to find him. That’s the reason you never give up and you keep looking.”
After a number of false leads, Julian’s mother can finally put an end to the emotional turmoil that’s plagued her for the last 13 years.
Robert Lowery, Vice President of the Missing Children’s Division at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NMEC), told news.com.au.
“Julian’s case is a reminder to all those parents and loved ones who are still searching for a missing child to never give up hope, no matter how long that child has been gone.”
