FORT STOCKTON, Texas — Hector Flores Jr., the man who went missing with his daughter in Big Bend National park, pleaded not guilty to federal child endangerment charges on Thursday, according to a court docket.
He was scheduled for arraignment at 11 a.m. that same day.
Flores and his daughter were found near the national park, in the Mexican state of Coahuila, over two weeks after they went missing on Jan. 28.
His truck was found in the national park filled with personal belongings, including social security cards and birth certificates, according to court documents.
An affidavit said locks of hair that appeared to have been cut were also found near the scene. They were later matched to the daughter.
Investigators said the two had moved to Fort Stockton about two years ago.
Documents show that in the weeks leading up to their disappearance, Flores withdrew his daughter from school and did not enroll her in a new one, their phone number was disconnected due to nonpayment and Flores was fired from his job for failing to show.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury for the federal child endangerment charges earlier this month.