A Jordanian athlete who had gone missing from a soccer tournament at Rice University in Houston has been found safe near Chicago, a reassuring resolution to a case that had prompted a search and drawn public attention across the city.
The athlete, who has cerebral palsy and does not speak English, had disappeared during the tournament, and his condition and language barrier had heightened concern about his safety in the hours after he went missing.
According to authorities, he was ultimately located safe near Chicago, hundreds of miles from Houston, easing fears that had grown as the search stretched on and his whereabouts remained unknown.
Officials say the breakthrough came from the athlete himself. He reached out to campus police after seeing news reports that he had been reported missing, allowing authorities to confirm that he was safe and to begin coordinating his return.
Investigators say he had traveled to Illinois by bus on his own. It remained unclear why he had left the tournament and made the journey, one of the questions that authorities were still working to understand.
Despite the circumstances of his disappearance and travel, authorities say no foul play is suspected in the case. The focus shifted from a search to making sure the athlete was cared for and could get home.
Officials are now working with the Jordanian consulate to bring him back to Houston. The coordination with his country's diplomats reflects both the international nature of the case and the effort to safely reunite him with his team.