An American school pupil who was reported lacking final month whereas finding out overseas in France is alive and in Spain, a French official mentioned Friday. Ken DeLand Jr. had final been heard from on Nov. 27, when he communicated together with his household through WhatsApp.
Eric Vaillant, the general public prosecutor in Grenoble, France, confirmed to CBS Information that they realized "DeLand was in a position to converse together with his mother and father as we speak" and "he's apparently in Spain."
His father, Ken DeLand Sr., instructed CNN on Friday that he'd simply spoken together with his son.
"He's alive — that is all I can say," he instructed CNN with out elaborating.
The web site created by his household to assist publicize the search now says: "KENNY HAS BEEN FOUND. We are going to replace with extra data as we get it! THANK YOU to everybody for serving to us carry Kenny residence!"
DeLand's household beforehand mentioned they'd been in communication with authorities, and that he had been added to the French lacking individuals checklist.
DeLand is a pupil St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. He had been and finding out on the Université Grenoble Alpes for the autumn semester of his senior 12 months. His worldwide research had been set to finish on Dec. 17, and his visa permitting him to remain in France will expire on Jan. 20, 2023, his household mentioned.
In response to the household's web site, DeLand had been staying with a number household in France. Earlier than he dropped out of contact he had reportedly been touring by prepare from his host household's residence to Valence, France, a metropolis about 60 miles from the college, and was noticed in safety footage within the city of Montemilar.
There had been no exercise on DeLand's social media pages or WhatsApp account, however his WhatsApp had turned again on Friday.
Elaine Cobbe and Kerry Breen contributed to this report.