Home Scandal and Gossip Did Texas dad who went missing in the woods disappear on purpose?

Did Texas dad who went missing in the woods disappear on purpose?

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Colby Richards missing Texas father found safe
Pictured, Colby Richards missing Texas father who was found safe, with wife, and their one year old child.
Colby Richards missing Texas father found safe
Pictured, Colby Richards missing Texas father who was found safe, with wife, Callie Richards and their one year old child.

Colby Richards missing Texas father found safe as questions are raised as to what led to the man mysteriously vanishing and whether he wanted to be found? 

Vanished on purpose? A missing Texas father who spent a week lost in the woods was discovered in a ‘depleted mental state,’ some 3 miles from the man’s family home.

Colby Richards, 31, disappeared at around 5am on May 26 without his phone and keys, with search leader Jake Stovall surmising that the father-of-two may have not ‘wanted to be found’. 

‘He was coherent, but very dizzy and had a depleted mental state,’ Stovall told the dailymail, adding that the moment the father was found was ‘joyous’.  

Did missing dad want to be found? 

In a Facebook post after the missing dad was found safe, Richards’ family said: ‘Hallelujah and praise the Lord!!! Colby has been found alive! We don’t have details yet, but we are overjoyed at the positive outcome.’ 

A  frantic week-long search was launched soon after the mysteriously vanished from his home in Spring, Texas. 

Stovall said the rescue mission included drones, K-9 units and numerous volunteers, who all joined the search after hearing that the ‘popular’ baseball coach was missing. 

The search came to a close when a group of volunteers stumbled upon the ‘deteriorated, malnourished and disheveled’ father – no less than 3 miles from the family home. 

‘It wasn’t far from houses or from a park that had water fountains, but at that point, I guess the deterioration of mental state, he didn’t want to be found,’ he said. 

‘He was confused and hiding.’ 

What led to father disappearing? 

Stovall, who runs nonprofit GulfSAR that led the search for Richards, said it was ‘always on your mind’ that the rescue effort would only produce a body.  

‘It’s a community effort,’ Stovall told the dailymail. ‘We searched for five days before he was found… it’s incredible, it’s what keeps us going in search and rescue.’ 

It remains unclear how Richards was able to survive in the wooded area without food and water. Stovall said rescuers were yet to find any shelters that the missing father may have made during his ordeal. 

The mysterious circumstances surrounding the missing dad’s disappearance hinged on Richards’ mental health, according to Stovall. 

‘If its an argument, a marital spat or something nefarious like an abduction and you find a blood trail, its pretty easy to find somebody,’ he said. 

‘But when it’s mental health, its very hard to find them because they’re unpredictable.’ 

Richards was transferred to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Mental Health Unit shortly after he was found. 

Colby Richards missing Texas father found safe
Pictured, Colby Richards missing Texas father who was found safe, with wife, Callie Richards.

Investigators baffled 

The sheriff’s department said the 31-year-old is set to speak with detectives as they seek to understand why he disappeared for over a week. 

‘However, it will be some time before he is interviewed,’ the department added. 

In a follow up social media post after he was found, Richards’ family said he is currently ‘recovering in the hospital’.

‘We aren’t sure when he will be released,’ they continued. ‘He is in good hands with the medical team and we are hoping for a full recovery. 

‘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. 

‘Your love and prayers have been felt by our entire family this week. I’m gonna go FINALLY get some rest and have a good cry. Thank you again.’ 

Jake Stovall in the initial days of the father’s disappearance said the case left him baffled, adding: ‘In 19 years, I’ve never seen a case like this.’

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