Update: What was previously reported to be the possible return of a missing boy turned out to be a hoax.
The alleged perpetrator was identified as a 23-year-old man named Michael Rini. He originally claimed to be 14 years old. ”
Although we are disappointed that this turned out to be a hoax, we remain diligent in our search for Timmothy, as our missing person’s case remains unsolved,” Aurora Sgt. Bill Rowley said.
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Original unmodified article: NEWPORT, Ken. – A teenager found wandering around Newport, Kentucky Wednesday claiming to be a boy who went missing in 2011 is not who he said he was.
Timmothy Pitzen vanished eight years ago when he was 6 years old after his mother pulled him out of school early and took him on a road trip. His mother is believed to have committed suicide. Her body was found with a note saying her son was safe, but no one would ever find him.
On March 3, 2019, a teenage boy claiming to be Timmothy told police he escaped from two men in the Cincinnati area. He said he had been held hostage for years.
The identity of the boy wasn’t immediately confirmed, so a DNA test was ordered to find out if the boy was, in fact, Timmothy.
At about 2:00 p.m. PST Thursday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation stated, “DNA results have been returned indicating the person in question is not Timmothy Pitzen.”
An investigation is continuing into the boy’s true identity.
“To be clear, law enforcement has not and will not forget Timmothy, and we hope to one day reunite him with his family,” and FBI spokesperson said. “Unfortunately, that day will not be today.”
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