Sebastian Rogers: United Cajun Navy search called off after parents meet investigators
The 15-year-old disappeared from his Sumner County, Tennessee, home on 26 February
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After members received death threats, a non-profit organisation helping in the search for Sebastian Rogers in Tennessee said on Monday that it was now working privately with his family.
In an interview with The Independent, United Cajun Navy spokesperson Kevin LaFond also addressed rumours that the group was a “scam”.
“The word hurtful comes up. The other is uninformed,” Mr LaFond said of those accusations. “Folks that know the United Cajun Navy know that there’s proof in our words everywhere and it’s not hard to find it.”
The group was called in by the 15-year-old’s father and other members of the community, after the search for him stretched over a month.
Sebastian disappeared overnight on 25 February, with his mother Katie Proudfoot finding his bed empty the following morning.
Sebastian’s parents met with law enforcement on Thursday, as the search for him neared five weeks.
His dad said he could not discuss what the meeting was about, but insisted that he still has hope that his son is out there somewhere.
“I don’t know if he’s been abducted or if he’s just over at a friend’s house, but I’ll know when I find him exactly what has happened to him,” Seth Rogers told Fox 17.
After over a week without any law enforcement update, Sumner County Sheriff’s Office is expected to hold a media briefing on Tuesday morning.
The Amber Alert description
With one of only two nationwide Amber Alerts in effect right now, the search continues for Sebastian Rogers.
He is described in the alert as:
”A 15-year-old white male, 5’5” tall, 120lbs., with brown hair and brown eyes... Sebastian was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and glasses.”
ICYMI: Search called off after death threats
After announcing last weekend that they were heading to Hendersonville to help with the search the non-profit organisation the United Cajun Navy announced it was cancelling its planned search on Friday.
“This decision was not taken lightly is made with the safety of all volunteers in mind,” the group said in a Facebook post. “We want to thank all the volunteers that planned to be out searching today.”
The group has reportedly received death threats.
Dad asked world to help him find his son
Here’s Sebastian’s father Seth Rogers earlier this week, pleading for people to help find his boy.
Mom & stepdad quizzed on police investigation
In an interview on Crime Stories with Nancy Grace earlier this week, Sebastian’s mother Katie Proudfoot and stepfather Chris Proudfoot defended their decision to leave the family home.
“My son could be anywhere and we’re looking everywhere and anywhere,” the mother said, after clarifying they were leaving as Mr Proudfoot was heading back to work.
Nancy Grace also brought up questions about the police search, with the couple saying they had been cleared of any wrongdoing and that they had cooperated fully when officers arrived to search their home.
Read more on the interview here.
Thousands of miles covered by investigators
Hunt for missing Sebastian Rogers has covered over 10,000 miles, say investigators
So far, there has been no sign of the 15-year-old who vanished on 26 February
Search nears five weeks
It has been nearly five weeks since 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers disappeared from his home in Tennessee, with still no sign of the teenager.
The autistic teenager was last seen by his mother and stepfather when he went to bed on the night of 25 February, but when his mother went to wake him up for school the next morning, he was gone, she said.
Sebastian is believed to have wandered off in the middle of the night with a flashlight, barefoot and alone.
A face not seen in weeks
Sebastian Rogers was last seen going to bed on 25 February at his mother’s home in Hendersonville.
Parents met with law enforcement on Thursday
Sebastian Rogers’ parents meet with police as questions mount over missing teen
Seth Rogers said he came away from the meeting feeling positive as the search for missing Sebastian is now in its fifth week
Parents grilled on crime podcast
On Monday, Sebastian’s mother and stepfather were questioned on the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast.
Thousands of miles searched
Investigators looking for Sebastian said on Tuesday that they had covered somewhere between 10,000 and 12,000 miles in the past four weeks.
In a report for News Channel 5, Ken Weidner, the director of Sumner County’s Emergency Operations Centre, showed a map of the areas searched so far.
From ponds to homes to woodland, hundreds of people have been scouring the area around where the 15-year-old vanished from four weeks ago.
“We’ve had close to 1,500 searchers,” Mr Weidner told reporter Nick Beres. “We’ve got 1,350 documented and then we have additional people, I’m sure we have got more on the public safety side.
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