International student Majid Khalid Shuhail returned home to the United Arab Emirates on March 8 after he was reported missing last month, according to news reports.
Shuhail, a 19-year-old former Cal State Long Beach American Language Institute student, went missing Feb. 15.
According to an article from the Contra Costa Times, Shuhail purchased a plane ticket to return to the United Arab Emirates on Feb. 15 as a result of homesickness. He was struck by a car while crossing the street the day of his flight and was subsequently hospitalized with minor injuries.
Although Shuhail’s father filed a missing person’s report with the Los Angeles Police Department’s pacific division, he was unable to trace Shuhail because his name was registered as Mohammed instead of Majid at the hospital, according to the Contra Costa Times.
The Gulf News Web site reported that the student was admitted to a hospital after a nervous breakdown following an interrogation from Los Angeles International Airport security authorities, who detained him because he had not boarded the plane even after repeated calls.
The news organization also reported that security learned Shuhail was in the U.S. legally and was late for his flight by accident.
Shuhail began taking classes at CSULB Jan. 28. His father said he chose not to continue studying at CSULB because he couldn’t adapt to the lifestyle and culture, according to the Contra Costa Times.