A 13-year-old boy reported missing four years ago has been found hidden behind a false wall at a house in Atlanta, Georgia.

The boy, whose name has not been released, managed to text information about his hiding place to his mother who then relayed it to police.

Police have now reunited him with his mother.

The boy's father and a woman have been arrested on charges including cruelty to children and false imprisonment.

Police had inspected the property in a quiet residential neighbourhood in Clayton County on Friday night but had not been able to find the missing boy.

Clayton County Police Sgt Kevin Hughes said that the boy's father and stepmother had denied knowing anything about the teenager.

When they resumed the search a few hours later they found the boy hidden behind the panels of a linen closet in the garage, said US media.

Sgt Joanne Southerland told the WSBTV channel that the boy was initially "frozen with fear" but "overjoyed" to be rescued.

According to WSBTV, the teenager's mother had originally reported him missing to child welfare authorities but not to the police.