It’s an unsolved mystery that could be reaching an end.

Wednesday morning a 14-year-old boy, claiming to be long-lost Timmothy Pitzen of Aurora, told police he had just escaped from two kidnappers that have been holding him for years.

"He looked like he had been beat up,” says Crejasafra Night, who saw the teen. “Yes, punched in the face a couple of times. He could see the fear on him and how nervous he was and how he kept pacing and he just looked odd."

Nearly eight years ago, then- 6 year old Timmothy went missing. On May  11, 2011 Timmothy was picked up by his mother, Amy Fry Pitzen from school. She told the school there was a family emergency.

According to police mom took Timmothy to Brookfield Zoo and to Key Lime Cove in Gurnee.  A day later both checked in at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

The last time he was seen on surveillance video was checking out the next morning.

Police say mom checked into a Rockford Motel that night, alone.  She had left a suicide note saying Timmothy is safe and he would never be found.

Throughout the years police received many tips. There was even a picture released by The Center for Missing and Exploited children of what Timmothy could look like today.

His family remains hopeful.

“Cautiously hopeful, very cautiously hopeful,” says Alana Anderson, Timmothy’s grandmother. “If it turns out to be him we will be thrilled.”