A missing teenager who disappeared after going to school has been found.
Krishank Karthik, 16, also known as Krish, left his home in Truganina in Melbourne’s west at around 7.45am on Monday and headed to Suzanne Cory High School.
But the 11th grade student did not come to school and it later turned out that he had not been there for the past two weeks either.
His family desperately pleaded for help and a massive search was launched by authorities, which revealed the 16-year-old boy was last seen on the highway in NSW.
New South Wales police announced on Sunday morning that the teenager was found at 1am in Penrith, in Sydney’s west.
He has now been reunited with his family, who have travelled to New South Wales.
Krishank’s mother, Shobana, said her life was “hell” after her son disappeared.
She said she was stunned to learn he had sold his iPhone, worth more than $1,000, in Melbourne before moving across state. She was unaware of any potential trouble the 16-year-old might be fleeing.
“We have no idea why he would be in Sydney. He doesn’t know anyone there and he’s never been there before.”
Krishank Karthik, 16, also known as Krish, left his home in Truganina in Melbourne’s west at around 7.45am on Monday and headed to Suzanne Cory High School
Officers received information that the teenager had reported to an emergency shelter on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills, Sydney, just before 5am on August 6.
Officers received information that the teenager had reported to an emergency shelter on Cleveland Street in Surry Hills, Sydney, at approximately 5am on August 6.
He was spotted on a train from Tarneit station to central Melbourne on Monday morning, where he bought two doughnuts and withdrew cash from a 7-Eleven at around 10.50am.
About an hour later he travelled to North Melbourne, where he bought food.
At 1pm, the owner of a phone shop on Swanston St. recognised Krishank after seeing a social media advert asking for his whereabouts.
The owner claimed that the missing student had sold his iPhone 14 Pro that afternoon.
The night before he disappeared, Krishnak texted his mother asking when she would be home from the hospital, where she was visiting her ailing mother.
When she got home, she felt too tired to eat, but Krishnak convinced her to eat. They watched cricket together and were ‘laughing and talking’.
Krishnak wanted to stay up late, but his mother told him to go to bed because he had an exam the next day.
Then he said to her, “Good night, Mom. Love you, Mom.”