Teen discovers his real identity when applying to college

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. -- An Ohio teenager applying to college discovered some startling things about himself because of a discrepancy in his Social Security number: His real name. And that he allegedly was snatched from his mother in Alabama by his father when he was 5.

Father and son were discovered living under assumed names this week in Cleveland, where by all accounts 18-year-old Julian Hernandez was an excellent student and had been well cared for.

The father, Bobby Hernandez, 53, was arrested and faces charges that could send him to prison.

Authorities still are trying to piece together what happened to the boy over the years.

But some of the bare facts are known: He vanished from his mother's home in the Birmingham, Alabama, area in 2002, his father leaving a note saying he had taken the child, according to authorities. The couple were not married.

Over the years, police investigated hundreds of possible sightings across the country. The break in the case didn't come until the son started applying to college.

Some kind of problem was found with his Social Security number, so he approached a school counselor, who discovered Hernandez was listed as missing by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, District Attorney Brandon Falls in Jefferson County, Alabama, told the local media.

Authorities were able to confirm the boy's identity Monday.

"My understanding is that he didn't know his birthday. He didn't even know his own name. He was going by something else," said police Lt. Johnny Evans of the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills.

Evans said Thursday mother and son had been in contact, but he was not sure whether it was by email, phone or other means.