Nearly three months later, autistic teen Sebastian Rogers is still missing. Police have squashed rumors that a viral photo was Rogers, saying it wasn't him.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Sumner County Sheriff's officials gave a statement to the Tennessean in which the debunked the photo. While the organization agrees that the two have similarities, the organization confirmed that it wasn't Rogers in the photo. The now-viral photo began making the rounds on the internet, leading internet sleuths to question how the boy made it from Tennessee to North Carolina.
Well, the simple answer is that he didn't. At least, not based on current evidence. Police confirmed that it was someone else. "After coordinated efforts with law enforcement agencies in North Carolina, we have determined that the child depicted in the photograph is NOT Sebastian Rogers," Sumner County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Eric Craddock said. "We understand the gravity of the situation and the concerns it has raised. Our collaborative efforts with law enforcement agencies continue unabated as we remain committed to finding Sebastian."
Sebastian Rogers Missing
It's a frustrating development for Rogers' family, who wants answers. It's not the first false lead in the case. Previously, authorities debunked that a pair of pants and also a pair of eyeglasses were not Rogers either. The missing teen disappeared on February 26. His mother went to wake him up to get ready for school, but Rogers was gone. His disappearance kicked off a state-wide Amber Alert as volunteers combed the area looking for him.
Sadly, their efforts didn't turn up anything. With the search for the teen dying down, family is still hopeful that he can be found. In fact, his father was sure that the photo in the video was him. He previously spoke with the media about the photo. He personally hired a private investigator to look into his son's disappearance. "My private investigator has spoken to the person who took the video (and photo)," Seth said during an appearance Monday on "Elizabeth Vargas Reports."
Rogers' father is hopeful that the FBI can start to assist with the case. He said, "I would surely hope that the FBI would take the lead. Because I believe that is my son, and he is across state lines. I would really truly appreciate it if the FBI did take the lead," Seth said.
