Boy Found After 11 Days in New York Subway System

The teen returned home unharmed after being discovered by a transit police officer in the Coney Island area of New York. The officer recognized him from a missing persons poster that had been posted in the subway system and surrounding areas. The teen, who did not communicate with anyone or reach out for help during his ordeal left home with just $11 in his pocket. According to CNN, the boy's mother says he survived on fast food and candy he purchased in the subway system. He spent the majority of his time riding the trains. He wore the same clothes for the duration and lived underground, sleeping in subway cars and using underground restrooms. The boy, whose developmental disabilities kept him from approaching anyone for help, have also led him to keep his experiences during the 11 days from his mother, Marsiela Garcia, who says he has not told her anything about his time in the subway system. According to the New York Times, Hernandez reportedly entered the subway system after getting in trouble in class and not wanting to bear the consequences at home. He said he never saw the fliers his mother posted and that "he was prepared to remain in the subway system forever." The disappearance was reported to police immediately, who treated it as a runaway. After five days had passed, it was being treated as a missing persons case, but Garcia said she got little help. She took matters into her own hands, putting up posters, which eventually led to the boy being found by a police officer. New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that proper protocol was followed in this case, and that it is common to wait a few days when a teenager is reported missing.