'Gosh, it was right under our nose': How neighbors never suspected family was keeping boy behind fake wall because they 'were really nice'

• Boy, 13, found living behind a linen closet at his father's home in Jonesboro, Georgia on Saturday
• Went missing four years ago after going to visit his father, 37-year-old Gregory Jean, who 'refused to give him back'
• Unnamed boy downloaded a cellphone app to contact his mother this week, saying he was being beaten by his father
• Jean and stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42, to appear in court Sunday on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction and cruelty to a child

By Ashley Collman and Sophie Jane Evans for MailOnline

Published: 09:02 EST, 30 November 2014 | Updated: 09:03 EST, 30 November 2014

Neighbors in the Atlanta, Georgia suburb where a 13-year-old was found living behind a linen closet on Saturday, have spoken out to say they saw the boy often and never knew he was being held against his will.

The unidentified boy went missing four years ago, when he went to visit his father in Georgia. He was found this weekend after downloaded a texting app on his phone to reach out to his mother in Florida, writing that he had been beaten by his father.

The boy's father, who has since been identified as 37-year-old Gregory Jean, and 42-year-old stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, are expected to make their first court appearance Sunday morning on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction and cruelty to a child. Three other minors were also arrested at the house.

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Reunited: This 13-year-old boy is pictured being reunited with his Florida-based mother after he was found imprisoned behind a false wall in the linen closet of his father's Georgia home four years after going missing

Captors: Father Gregory Jean, 37 (left), and stepmother Samantha Joy Davis, 42 (right), are expected to appear in court Sunday morning on charges of false imprisonment, obstruction and cruelty to a child. Three other minors were also arrested at the house where the unnamed boy was found

Jean's neighbor's in the Atlanta suburb of Jonesboro were shocked to hear that the boy was a prisoner. They say they often saw him outside the house, sometimes doing yard work.

'It was a shock to all of us. They were really nice people, very open they said come over anytime you want,' neighbor Julie Pizarro, who lives across the street told WXIA. 'The young man didn't seem under any distress. I guess you never know what's behind closed doors.'

'Gosh, it was right under our nose,' neighbor Akono Ekundayo said. 'We could have done something.'

Rescue: The teenager (pictured) reportedly downloaded a cellphone app to text his mother to tell her he was being held captive and beaten at the house in Jonesboro, Georgia. He was rescued Saturday morning

The boy was reported missing to child welfare authorities in 2010 after he went to visit his father and he refused to return him to his mother, according to WSB-TV.

However, his mother never contacted the police, potentially because she is an immigrant and was unfamiliar with the system, it is said. But after receiving her son's text this weekend, she immediately called 911.

Following her call, officers arrived at Jean's home at 2am on Saturday. They reportedly questioned the house's uncooperative occupants for several minutes before locating the victim in a linen closet in the garage.

The boy repeatedly thanked officers for rescuing him, according to reports.

In heart-wrenching scenes on Saturday morning, the victim was pictured clinging on to his weeping mother, who had traveled to Georgia, as another female relative sobbed uncontrollably nearby in an emotional reunion.

Sargent Joanne Southerland, of Clayton County Police Department, told the news station: 'We came here to the home and were able to get inside and talk to the people inside.

'After several minutes of denying that the child was here and that there was ever any assault or anything like that, we were able to find him in the linen closet.'

Arrests: The boy went missing in 2010, when he went to see his father and never returned. His mother allegedly never informed police since she is an immigrant and unfamiliar with the system. Above, the house where he was held captive

No clue: Neighbors in the Jonesboro neighborhood said they often saw the boy outside the house, and never thought he was being held prisoner

Investigation: CID officers are pictured arriving at the house on Saturday morning. An investigation is ongoing

Officer Daniel Day added: 'I just couldn't believe it. We found him, we saw him. To say it was a great feeling is an understatement. He just couldn't thank us enough, he was overjoyed we had found him.'

Police have now requested a search warrant for the property. A spokesman said they still have a lot of unanswered questions, including how the boy was imprisoned for so long without intervention.

The boy, whose legal custody is believed to lie with his mother, is expected to remain under the protection of the Division of Family and Children Services for the next couple of days.

An investigation is ongoing.

Proud: Police Chief Greg Porter (left) said: 'The police department did an excellent job coming out here and responding to the 911 emergency call.' Right, one of the boy's relatives weeps after being reunited with him

Scene: Police have now requested a search warrant for the property in Duke Court (pictured). A spokesman said they still have a lot of unanswered questions, including how the boy was imprisoned for so long