A missing boy who was snatched by his mother and taken out of the country three years ago has been found safe after she tried re-entering the US with him at the southern border. 

Three years ago, then-11-year-old Andrew Escobar was declared missing. It was suspected that the boy’s mother, Miriam Felix, abducted him and left New Mexico during a custody dispute with his father, Juan Escobar, who is married to another woman.

Last week, Andrew was located by El Paso authorities as his mother was trying to cross into the US at the border with Mexico. 

Juan told KOAT that he learned of the news when El Paso police unexpectedly gave him a call. ‘Just right away, he’s like, “Hey Mr Escobar, just wanted to let you know we have your son,”‘ Juan recounted an officer saying.

‘It took me like five, ten seconds to process it and say, “What? You have him?” And he’s like, “Yeah, we have your son,”‘ Juan said.

The father told KOAT that Felix had triggered ‘some sort of warning’ when she tried crossing the US-Mexico border, which led to police checking the mother’s and boy’s IDs.

‘That’s when they recognized that he was listed as a missing person, and that’s when they detained them both,’ Juan said. 

Since Andrew was declared missing in 2023, multiple state and federal authorities had been searching for him in New Mexico and across the country. 

Andrew Escobar was declared missing in 2023, but he was recently found safe and alive and reunited with his father. He is pictured with his family’s dog before he went missing

Andrew is pictured embracing his father, Juan Escobar, on a couch. Juan searched tirelessly for his son over the past three years

Andrew was found by authorities in El Paso when his mother, Miriam Felix, attempted to cross into the US at the border with Mexico

Since Andrew was declared missing, it had been suspected that his mother had abducted him during a custody dispute with the boy’s father, who is married to another woman

‘They have beat this ground all over the United States looking for Andrew,’ said Darlene Gomez, an attorney who represented Juan and his wife during their search and who is also the father’s employer.

Andrew has since told police how his mother flew him around the world, taking him toAustria, Albania and Turkey, according to his father, who added that Andrew’s passport also had a stamp from Amsterdam. 

Since 2023, Juan has tirelessly searched for his son. He constantly updated a Facebook page called Help Find Andrew Oliver Escobar and frequently spoke to the media and government officials about Andrew to promote finding him. 

Earlier this year, he coordinated with New Mexico State Senator Jay Block, who addressed the state senate with a speech about Andrew on the boy’s birthday in January. 

After Juan and Andrew were reunited, the father said on Facebook: ‘We Praise God and this amazing blessing. We are so grateful to have found Andrew Safe. We give all Glory to God and his perfect timing.

‘We want to thank the hundreds and hundreds of people who helped in his search beginning with our Amazing team: doing all the work behind the scenes: being the boots on the ground advocates, emotional support, and shoulder to cry on.’

Juan spent years talking to the media and government officials to promote finding his son. He is pictured in the New Mexico state senate in January with a photo of Andrew

Juan is pictured with New Mexico State Senator Jay Block, who gave a speech to the state senate about Andrew on the boy’s 14th birthday in January

Juan said that he is worried about his son’s mental health despite the boy being physically unharmed. The father is pictured last year with a sign to promote finding Andrew

Gomez, the attorney who represented Juan and his wife during the search, told KOAT that the next steps for the family will be readjusting and allowing Andrew to recover.

‘I think for this family, there is a lot of unknowns. It’s the family getting to know one another again and to work at different paces,’ she said.

Juan told the outlet that he is worried about his son’s mental health despite the boy being physically unharmed. ‘He’s just been through so much the last three years emotionally and mentally,’ the father said. 

Felix, Andrew’s mother, is currently in custody at an El Paso jail while she awaits extradition to New Mexico, according to Gomez.