Ken DeLand Jr.Photo: Findkendeland.com
Grenoble public prosecutor Eric Vaillant shared Saturday morning that DeLand “is currently in Lyon with his mother, and they should be taking a plane together for the United States today during the day,“NBC News reports. On Twitter, Vaillantconfirmed the news.
The update follows thereport earlier this weekthat DeLand got in contact with his parents from Spain. Before then, he last spoke with them on Nov. 27, according to awebsite they launched to help find him.
Ken DeLand Jr.Findkendeland.com
DeLand was initially in “constant communication” with his family during his time studying abroad at the University Grenoble Alpes, his father previously toldABC News, before they stopped hearing from him for two weeks.
The St. John Fisher University student was initially set return home last Saturday. His host believed he left his residence in France voluntarily, as did the Grenoble public prosecutor’s office. The office previously stated that DeLand explained to others that he was “insufficiently prepared” for the trip.
His family found the situation to be “uncharacteristic” of their son, andInterpol issueda “yellow notice” on Thursday, which is a global police alert for a missing person. “This is what creates all the worry that any parent could ever feel,” his father, DeLand Sr., told CNN in an interview before they got in contact again.
DeLand’s family eventually launched the website dedicated to finding him, where they’ve been sharing updates about his disappearance. On the site, they shared that his phone was pinged at a French train station on Nov. 30, and made a purchase at a sporting goods store days later.
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The family later announced they received “a call from Kenny in the early morning hours on Dec. 16.”
“Kenny is in Spain, and [mother] Carol [Laws] is in France, preparing to see Kenny and hopefully bring him home for Christmas,” the update read, before sharing appreciation for St. John Fisher College, the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS), French Administrations, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, and Senator Pamela Helming — all of which aided in the search for Kenny.
“We want to thank all the Media members for their diligence and swift attention in spreading the word about our Son,” they continued. “Without the media’s help, Kenny would not have seen himself in the news and reached out to us.”
source: people.com
