Family finds missing son in newspaper photo

A US family has found their missing 20-year-old son after spotting a photo of him huddled under a blanket on the street in a newspaper report on cold weather.

Nicholas Simmons, 20, went missing from his home in New York on New Year’s Day after an argument, NBC 10 News reports.

His family began a frantic search, calling police, setting up a Facebook page and getting in touch with media.

Their efforts came to an unexpected end when they opened USA Today’s Democrat and Chronicle and spotted a photo of Simmons in Washington DC identified as a homeless man.

The caption stated: “Nick warms himself on a stream grate with three other homeless men by the Federal Trade Commission.”

Police managed to track the 20-year-old down and he was taken to hospital.

His mother Michelle Simmons posted an update on Facebook shortly after he was found saying: “Nick is alive but obviously not well. We are going to get him home and safe.”

“It could have been months before we had a lead on his whereabouts… my baby looks so lost and I will spending the rest of my life making him well,” she wrote.

The 20-year-old was photographed as part of Associated Press coverage on record cold weather that has been sweeping across the US.

Author: Alys Francis. Approving editor: Matthew Henry.
Source: USA Today, NBC 10 News.