VANISHING ACT

Texas Father Found Ten Days After Disappearance Sparked Nationwide Search

Colby Richards, the 31-year-old father who went missing from his home north of Houston, has turned up alive less than three miles from home.

Police have found a missing Texas father 10 days after he seemed to vanish into thin air, kicking off a desperate search that attracted followers across the country.

At the crack of dawn on May 24, 31-year-old Colby Richards, a father of two young children, disappeared after walking out of his home near Houston, leaving behind his phone and wallet. His disappearance sparked a frantic search by local authorities and volunteers that attracted thousands of followers.

On Thursday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department announced they had found Richards alive in The Woodlands, walking near an intersection surrounded by golf courses, shopping centers and sprawling residential developments. He had wandered less than three miles from his house.

Police have placed him under the care of medics and the department’s mental health team. The Sheriff’s Office said in a statement they would eventually interview Richards about the circumstances of his disappearance, but not for some time, leaving some details shrouded in mystery.

Richard’s wife, Callie Richards, reported her husband missing on May 26. Fox News stated that that she became concerned after he rolled out of bed, left their bedroom and never returned to prepare for work. She soon investigated the backyard and found the rear gate left open, with no trace of her husband.

“He walked into the woods behind our house and didn’t come back,” Callie Richards posted at the time.

An early search by police turned up only Richards’ water bottle, abandoned on a trail behind their home, the San Antonio Express-News reported.

A post to the “Help Us Find Colby Richards” Facebook page, which is run by Richards’ family, said he is recuperating in the hospital.

“He is in good hands with the medical team and we are hoping for a full recovery,” the post said. “We cannot thank everyone enough for the efforts searching for him as well as the Sheriff's department, MoCoSAR, GulfSAR, and each and every person who showed up to search for him whether in person or online.”

An earlier post from the family said they were overjoyed that Richards had been recovered safely.

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Chris Hippensteel

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