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(NewsNation) — Weeks after autistic teenager Sebastian Rogers disappeared, his family continues to search for answers.
Rogers’ disappearance has prompted a massive search, but multiple potential sightings of the teen have not led investigators to find the boy. Here’s what has happened in the case so far.
Sebastian Rogers last seen alive
Feb. 25, 2024: Sebastian Rogers is last seen by his mother, Katie Proudfoot, and stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, before going to bed. Katie Proudfoot describes her son as very smart and not a teen prone to mischief.
Katie Proudfoot said she heard a thud from her son’s room around 10 p.m. that night and told him to go to sleep.
Endangered Child Alert issued for Sebastian Rogers
Feb. 26, 2024: Katie Proudfoot said she went to wake her son up only to find he was not in his bed. After searching the house, she called authorities.
Police in Sumner County, Tennessee, contacted the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which issued an Endangered Child Alert that morning. According to the alert, Rogers had been seen earlier that day in Hendersonville, Tennessee, wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and glasses.
More than 200 searchers are sent out to search for the missing teen, including K-9 units, mounted officers, drones and helicopters.
Amber Alert issued for Sebastian Rogers
Feb. 27, 2024: Authorities changed the alert to an Amber Alert, which indicates investigators believe an abduction could be involved and the child is in immediate danger.
Search efforts continued, with police using the teen’s favorite song, “Eye of the Tiger,” to try to lure him out. They also ask people in the area to check security and doorbell cameras to see if there is any footage of him.
Local pond drained in search
Feb. 29, 2024: Police drained a pond near Rogers’ home but found nothing. Authorities said while there were multiple tips received from people looking through security footage, they could not confirm any sightings of the teen.
Police also said search dogs had not been able to pick up a scent trail for Rogers.
Reward offered for information
March 2, 2024: Area business owners pooled money to issue a reward in the case. By the following day, it would equal $3,500.
Search for Sebastian Rogers scaled back
March 4, 2024: Authorities announced the ground search was being reduced, though they would continue to investigate the case. Rogers’ parents also spoke to the media for the first time amid criticism for not appearing publicly earlier.
Kentucky landfill searched
March 7, 2024: Police searched a landfill in White Plains, Kentucky. Authorities called the search a precaution, noting it was where trash from Rogers’ neighborhood was taken, and said there was no specific evidence that led to the search.
Search for Sebastian Rogers continues
March 10, 2024: Sebastian Rogers’ biological father, Seth Rogers, expressed fears that something nefarious had happened, noting his son wasn’t the type to wander. He also said Sebastian Rogers did not like going barefoot after an incident as a child, though he reportedly had no shoes in the description given by officers.
March 14, 2024: News outlet WTVF obtained footage from outside the Proudfoot home, which appears to show activity around 3 a.m. the night Sebastian Rogers disappeared, with lights, possibly from flashlights, moving around.
March 15, 2024: The TBI released a statement saying there was no evidence of criminal activity and that the family was cooperating fully. The agency also warned people against sharing surveillance video online, noting it could be misinterpreted.
March 21, 2024: Seth Rogers organized a search of the Natchez Trace State Park, 100 miles from Sumner County, after a tip suggested the family do so. Nothing was found.
United Cajun Navy joins search
March 23, 2024: The United Cajun Navy joined the search after the end of searches for Riley Strain, a college student who disappeared in Nashville and whose body was found in the Cumberland River.
March 29, 2024: The United Cajun Navy pulls out of search efforts, citing threats made to volunteers as the reason for suspending operations.
Police continue to seek leads in Rogers disappearance
April 2, 2024: In an update, investigators confirmed a pair of glasses had been found during the course of the investigation but could not definitively confirmed they belonged to the missing teen. Authorities also reiterated that there is currently no evidence of criminal activity.
The Proudfoots also confirmed they left home, with Chris Proudfoot saying he was going back to work and his wife accompanying him.
April 17, 2024: Seth Rogers hires private investigators to help search for his son.
May 7, 2024: Investigators confirm a teen photographed in North Carolina is not Sebastian Rogers. Seth Rogers had previously stated he believed the photos showed his son.
Sebastian Rogers’ father calls for FBI
May 21, 2024: Seth Rogers called for the nation’s top law enforcement agency to take over the investigation into the disappearance of Sebastian Rogers.
It’s been nearly three months since Sebastian Rogers was last seen at his mother and stepfather’s home, just around the corner from where he attended classes at Beech High School in Tennessee.
“I don’t want my son to become a cold case,” Seth Rogers said during an appearance Tuesday on “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.” “The way I’m seeing things now, it’ll be a cold case.”
Sebastian Rogers is described as being 5 feet, 5 inches with sandy blond hair. He was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and glasses. Anyone with information should call 615-451-3838 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
