A Houston man who went missing as a teen more than eight years ago has been found safe, the Texas Center for the Missing said.

Rudolph "Rudy" Farias IV had been missing since March 6, 2015, according to a missing persons flyer.

Someone called 911 after finding him unresponsive outside a church, with cuts and bruises, Farias' mother told CNN affiliate KTRK. She believes he was badly abused and beaten, KTRK reported.

"After 8 long years, Rudy has been located safe," said a Sunday tweet from the Texas Center for the Missing.

"Please continue to keep his family in your prayers as Rudy recovers in the hospital."

Farias, then 17, was walking his two dogs in northwest Houston when he vanished, CNN affiliate KHOU reported.

He will only speak a few words at a time before going into a fetal position, Farias' mother said. She expects it will be a long healing journey, she told KTRK.

It's unclear where he has been.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, nearly 360,000 reports of missing children were made to the FBI in 2022 -- a figure that may include duplicates.