Toxic war breaks out between parents of missing autistic teen and internet sleuths hunting to find him
A toxic legal war has broken out between the parents of missing autistic teen Sebastian Rogers and internet sleuths hunting to find him.
Sebastian, 15, was last seen on February 25, 2024 at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Interest quickly grew in his case, leading many internet personalities and social media influencers to weigh in on what they think happened to the missing teenager.
Their fascination with his mysterious disappearance quickly caught the attention of Sebastian's mother Katie, stepfather Chris Proudfoot, and his biological father Seth - leading them to sue three YouTubers who shared theories about their son's case.
In August 2024, Katie filed an order of protection against Andra Griffin, also known as 'Bullhorn Betty' on YouTube and TikTok, alleging that her large social media following aided her in stalking her and her family.
Katie also alleged that Griffin accused her and Chris of harming Sebastian and called the YouTuber 'dangerous,' the filing, obtained by WKRN, said.
'I've never talked to these people. I've never tried to interview these people. I've never knocked on their door,' Griffin told the outlet.
On Friday, a grand jury in Sumner County decided not to indict Griffin citing lack of evidence in the case.
Meanwhile, in October, Sebastian's father Seth, Dog The Bounty Hunter, and seven others sued two others, Stephanie Trude and Jessica Seng in Pennsylvania.
They also filed injunctions against 50 unnamed people for harassment and endangering their safety, records showed.
Seng run's the YouTube channel 'Granny's Watching', while Trude is known online as 'BBQ Lady.'
A judge later dismissed the case against them, stating that there is a higher bar for them to reach in defamation cases as public figures, according to legal documents.
The judge also ordered Sebastian's father, Dog the Bounty Hunter and the unidentified seven others pay the YouTuber's legal fees.
'There is so much drama and different avenues for people to go down that it surpasses just the idea that a child vanished,' Seng said.
Trude called the entire legal ordeal and lawsuit 'frivolous' and said it took away from the search of the missing teenager.
'Nobody should ever entertain a frivolous lawsuit against people who just don't agree with your opinions, and that's really what I think it boils down to,' she explained.
'Just the worst part is that it is all on the back of a missing child.'
Griffin, who describes herself as a 'victim right activist/advocate' who covers cases to 'help in the search of those missing and/or presumed dead,' has been left furious by Katie and Chris's attempt to try and take away her freedom of speech.
'When it comes to my speech, it has emboldened me more because it anchored me,' she stated.
'Like how dare someone trample on my freedom of speech? I'm from Florida, and this is a public interest case, and I'm entitled to my opinions.'
Although the legal drama is over, Trude told the outlet she has been left conflicted about whether she wants to continue to use her platform to 'raise awareness.'
'It has made me never want to help use my platform to raise awareness because this has obviously cost an enormous financial impact on us both, and we were spreading awareness, doing our due diligence,' she said of her and Seng.
News of the YouTuber's legal wins against Sebastian's family comes about a month after newly released video footage provided a vital clue in the search for him.
Video obtained by private investigator Steve Fischer, working with Sebastian's mother and stepfather, showed a figure appear at 12.17am on the night of his disappearance.
The footage was from a street located a single block from Sebastian's Sumner County home, prompting investigators to believe it may hold critical information.
The surveillance clip also captured a dog walker passing by shortly before the unidentified figure.
'It's definitely a person,' said Fischer. 'It looks like a thin person wearing dark clothing walks down south on Kellyn Lane behind a vehicle. And it appears like he or she is trying to stay out of eyesight of the person walking their dog.
'They go behind this car for a little while then they turn around and come back the same way they came from.'
The block is adjacent to a construction site where search dogs had previously indicated a potential lead.
Private investigator Fischer, who enhanced the video for clarity, confirmed that it has been passed on to law enforcement.
He acknowledged, however, that identifying the figure is unlikely.
'It took three times watching all the video, before we found that,' said Fischer.
The Sumner County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), which is working with the TBI and FBI, maintains there have been no confirmed sightings or significant leads in Sebastian Rogers' disappearance.
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