BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) – Relatives of an Alabama youth who was missing for 13 years say they are “overjoyed” to know he is safe.
A representative of Julian Hernandez’s family released a statement Thursday about the discovery of the 18-year-old in Cleveland, where he was living with his father.
The statement was released on behalf of the young man’s mother, whose name hasn’t been released. It expresses thanks for prayers and support during the youth’s absence from home.
The family also asks for privacy and says relatives need to focus on Julian’s well-being “during this difficult time in his life.”
Authorities say the youth’s father left metro Birmingham with him in 2002 when Julian was 5 and hasn’t been heard from since.
They say he was living under an assumed name, and his true identity was discovered during the college application process.