Rudy Farias case: Man held captive for eight years speaks, details mum Janie Santanas abuse

Rudy Farias has broken his silence, detailing what really happened after his mum Janie Santana held him captive for eight years. Photo / Twitter

Rudy Farias, the Texas man who was reported “missing” for eight years by his mum, only for the world to find out he had been imprisoned in his own home the whole time, has spoken publicly for the first time.

Farias, now 25, had been reported missing for nearly a decade before he mysteriously appeared earlier this month.

Community activist Quanell X, who was in the room with Farias and detectives during an interview, alleged his mother, Janie Santana, had kept him captive and mentally, emotionally, physically, and sexually abused him during his eight years.

Despite police speaking to both Farias and Santana, the mother was let go and not charged with any crimes, sparking global outrage.

But now, Farias has spoken for the first time following his escape, detailing the horrors he suffered as well as setting the record straight about what his mother did and didn’t allegedly do to him.

Speaking to Fox and Grizzy’s Hood News, Farias said he felt like he had “lived in a prison”, adding “I just wanted to be free. I just wanted to live my life.”

Despite claims his mother sexually abused him, Farias said he was not molested, but that she pushed his boundaries and made him sleep in the same bed as her.

“She didn’t force herself on me or anything like that. It would never be anything like that. Just stuff that really made me uncomfortable.

“I used to have to sleep in her bed sometimes. Boundaries she would push or make me uncomfortable, and I would say ‘Stop,’ and she would say, ‘Why? Why? Why? I didn’t do anything wrong.’”

‘Manipulated, Stockholm Syndrome’: Farias details abuse

In an interview on Wednesday morning NZT, Farias detailed the mental and emotional abuse he suffered at the hands of his mother.

He opened up about how he was kept in rooms away from his family whenever they would visit, how he was “brainwashed”, and described suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, a condition in which hostages develop a psychological bond with their captors.

“I was at home, stuck at home. If someone came over my mum would tell me to stay in the room, keep the door locked and don’t let them in. Don’t make any sounds.

“I would just have to listen to my family and cheerful on the other side of a f****** door... I’d be like, I just want my family, just want people, just want communication.

“It just felt like brainwashing honestly. It kept confusing me. Her stories, she would manipulate me and would say ‘you’re going to get arrested for a speeding ticket’ or something minor and then it would escalate. I’d just want to get away from home, be free and live my own life.”

Breaking down in tears, Farias said: “She eventually locked me in there mentally. She was my only parent. She was the only person I really had besides my brother. When I lost my brother I didn’t have anybody to teach me how to live, or be confident or trust in myself. I just depended on my mum all my life.

During the eight years in captivity, Farias said he did the best he could to study online and understand how the world works. “We’ve got to spread more positivity... everything around us is an algorithm that they control. Through social mediums and colours...

“It was like Stockholm Syndrome, honestly. Held against my will mentally, not physically. Every time she came around me little triggers would pop up, I would try to get away from my mum.

“It’s like I lived in a f***ing jail. I just want to be free. I just want to live my life. I just wanted to love somebody and have someone else who loves me. I wasn’t sure what love was. I struggled to understand my emotions...

“Every time I would try to leave or do things for myself... she’d say ‘don’t do that, the cops are going to come out’. All I do is work 12-hour shifts 7 days a week and get paid 60 f***ing dollars. I don’t understand how that’s f***ing fair.”

Farias said the only person he could trust was his mum because she told him so many things he wasn’t able to verify.

When asked if his mum took advantage of him, he responded with one word: “Heavily.”

When asked why he thinks his mum wanted to keep him hidden, Farias said: ”I don’t know. It all started with a speeding ticket when I was 17 trying to go to work. I wasn’t able to have a life...”

“I would always ask when am I able to make my own decisions and when can I be free... Everything was always about f***ing money.

How Farias’ eight-year nightmare started

Farias’ horror started years before he was held captive when his mum began forcing him to fake illnesses.

A couple of years before he was “missing”, Farias and Santana appeared on the news after his mother faked that he had cancer at age 14.

Local news outlets interviewed Santana about her son, and said at the time she doesn’t want to lose Farias as he’s the only son she has left, in reference to her eldest son dying in a car accident.

Farias said his mum made the whole thing up.

“I had a tumour on my heel but that was irrelevant. All that had started because she wanted me to fake taking medicine or sleeping pills.

She wanted me to fake going to hospital and forced me to go into ER and act like you’re sick and overdosing and s**t.”

‘I never had a chance’

Farias said he just wanted to live a simple but free life.

However, his mother denied him the opportunity at every turn.

“After he [my brother] passed away, I was never able to love myself anymore or have a father figure anymore. I never had a dad. I didn’t know what I was doing when I was growing up.

I didn’t understand how to take care of myself, how to wash myself, or make doctor’s appointments, how to do anything because I never had a chance.”

In a heartbreaking admission, Farias said his mother would be in command of every aspect of his life.

Farias wants his mum cut from his life

When asked if he and his mum have a normal son-mother relationship, he stated, “Not after all of that. Not after everything she did and to be honest, I don’t want one with her.

Farias said he feels a lot of relief now. “It feels like, I’m just at peace now. Just feels happy, you know?

“I don’t want any contact with her at all. I just want to live my life away from her. I just want a family, a job, a house, I just want to live my life and be happy.

“I don’t want to go back to the negative thoughts she always has on me. I’m so tired of them. I hate it. Every time she comes around me it’s like she downloads negativity into my brain.”

Santana’s whereabouts is currently unknown, but she has been seen visiting the family home before disappearing again.

Police said they are still investigating but no charges have been made against Santana.

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