El Dorado ? The parents of a southeast Kansas boy whose 1999 disappearance went unreported for years were charged Wednesday with fraudulently collecting more than $50,000 in adoption subsidies.

A felony theft charge filed in Butler County District Court claims that between May 1, 1999, and July 8, 2005, Doug and Valerie Herrman collected $52,800 in adoption subsidies from the state while falsely claiming Adam Herrman as a dependent.

The Herrmans are free on bond. Their first court appearance is scheduled for next Wednesday.

Valerie Herrman’s attorney, Warner Eisenbise, described the theft count as a “technical financial charge.” He said he and Doug Herrman’s attorney, Trevor Riddle, plan to enter not guilty pleas on the couple’s behalf.

The Herrmans, whose current place of residence was unclear Wednesday, have said Adam, then 11, ran away in 1999 from the mobile home park in Towanda where the family lived. But his absence wasn’t reported until his older sister contacted authorities in December 2008.

Butler County Attorney Jan Satterfield said she is still pursuing a homicide investigation in Adam’s disappearance and considers the Herrmans to be suspects.

The Herrmans told authorities they didn’t report the disappearance because they feared they would lose custody of Adam and other children in their care.