Man reveals on television that his missing son was found in his own basement.

The boy was found by police behind a pile of boxes in the couple’s basement. A shocking video from 2014 reveals the moment when Detroit man Charles Bothuell IV is informed live on air that his missing 12-year-old son, Charles Bothuell V, has been found in their own basement.

This case gained global attention after an 11-day search involving the FBI. The discovery during a TV interview added a disturbing twist as the host questioned Bothuell IV if he had checked the basement.

Investigations later revealed that the boy was not lost but had been hiding from his father and stepmother, Monique Dillard-Bothuell. The reason for his hiding, according to Charles V, was fear of his father’s reaction regarding missed exercise routines, where failure to complete the program within an hour meant restarting the entire workout.

In 2015, Bothuell IV and Dillard-Bothuell were arrested on charges of torture and child abuse. The torture charge, carrying a potential life sentence, was later dropped.

As part of a plea deal in 2016, Bothuell IV pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of fourth-degree child abuse. Prosecutors documented the malnourished condition and physical injuries of the boy upon discovery.

As a result, Bothuell IV received 18 months of probation, mandatory anger management classes, and lost custody of his son with no further allowed contact. The resurfaced video has sparked social media discussions, with some expressing disbelief at the story’s authenticity.