Just imagine that your seven year old son disappears while walking home from a friend's house. As if that isn't bad enough, now imagine that years go by with no substantial information to shed light on the disappearance. Ultimately, the missing child is declared deceased.
Skip forward to eleven years later, and imagine that suddenly a young man surfaces, saying that he is in fact your missing child.
Seven year old Robbie Romero disappeared from his neighborhood in Santé Fe, New Mexico on June 7th, 2000. This past week, in a strange twist of fate, a man by the name of Robert Terrezas met the missing boy's brother, Ricky Romero through friends. Ricky was stunned at this man's resemblance, which he thought mirrored his missing brother. Robert Terrezas also told Ricky that he also goes by the name Robert Romero as well, and did not recall much of his childhood.
With this information, Ricky ran off to his mother, Evelyn, to share the exciting news. Meanwhile, Robert Terrezas mother, Yolanda Armendariz insisted that Robert was her son although; she was unable to produce his birth certificate.
Robert Terrezas met with the police and also told them he was indeed Ricky Romero. After this, Terrezas met the missing boy's mother, Evelyn, at her house and agreed to take a DNA test to get to the bottom of the discrepancy.
Evelyn and Robert Terrezas looked through old photographs of Robbie. Evelyn even commented how amazed she was that Terrezas looked like Robbie. She said that he bore a resemblance to her son, especially the big ears.
Romero's mother anxiously waited for the results of the DNA test, as did Romero's siblings. Evelyn Romero told reporters after meeting Robert Terrezas, "I have no idea, I have no idea. I can see the resemblance and his mannerisms but I wonder if that's me just wanting it so bad, him being alive and well. I think it will just be totally life changing to have him back in our family again, introducing him to all his brothers and sisters."
Well, you know the saying, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, that saying truly applies in this case. In the end, the DNA results indicated that Robert Terrezas was not the missing boy. After over a decade of torment and not knowing what had happened to her son, Evelyn Romero was once again left with her hopes shattered.
I have no idea what would motivate this young man to lie to a family who has already been left to deal with so much pain. I have no idea what there would be to gain from lying to the police and even going as far as to take a DNA test when Robert Terrezas knew all along he was not Ricky Romero.
Ultimately, Robert Terrezas mother stated that her son was suffering from emotional problems and attempted suicide this past July. Still, that does not justify what Robert Terrezas put this poor mother through.