Sebastian Rogers: Tennessee officials confirm eyeglasses found amid search don't belong to autistic teen who went missing 5 weeks ago
HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE: Tennessee officials have reportedly discovered a pair of glasses in connection while searching for Nashville-area autistic teenager Sebastian Rogers who disappeared 39 days ago.
Authorities verified on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, that the pair of glasses discovered near the site of Rogers' disappearance in Tennessee did not belong to him.
The 15-year-old autistic boy vanished more than five weeks ago, and a fresh search has started in the area.
SCSO announces renewed search for Sebastian Rogers
Eric Craddock, chief deputy of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office (SCSO), announced during a press briefing on Tuesday, April 2 that the glasses had been located and that an investigation was in progress.
An update was released by SCSO on Wednesday morning, stating that they wished to "clarify that the eyeglasses recently found are not related to Sebastian Rogers," The Independent reported.
The office announced a renewed search and dozens of officers were seen scouring the area around Long Hollow Pike, a highway that runs just north of Hendersonville. This was the update that followed.
The SCSO said in a statement that it and other organizations were carrying out "another thorough search" of the vicinity where the 15-year-old disappeared on February 25.
“Despite exhaustive efforts, there are no new leads or evidence to indicate the search will be immediately fruitful,” SCSO said. “However, we are committed to leaving no stone unturned in our mission to locate Sebastian and bring him home safely,” they added.
Officers were seen searching the area on foot, including scaling through thickets next to creeks, and rafts were also brought in, according to photos and video from the scene.
Modified version of Sebastian Roger's Amber Alert circulated
Although it's thought that a large portion of this region has already been searched, Susan Niland of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated during a press conference on April 3, that they intended to follow up on leads.
On Tuesday, April 2, Niland declared, "We are not done. It’s gone back to what could be considered good old-fashioned police work. She added, “Interviewing individuals, reinterviewing individuals, checking leads, rechecking leads.”
The TBI verified in a different update on Wednesday that its agents were participating in the fresh search. Additionally, according to the bureau, a modified version of Sebastian's posted Amber Alert has been circulated via social media.
The agency stated that it was still using the original poster that was shared more than a month ago and asked people to "be aware that a lot of false information is being posted through multiple social media channels."
The 15-year-old went to bed at his mother's Hendersonville home on February 25 and hasn't been seen since. The following day, when she went to pick him up for school, he was gone, and police officials kept saying there was no sign of foul play.
Niland said on Tuesday that rumors surrounding the case had been a "distraction" and asked people to contact investigators only with reliable information by email at TipsToTBI@tbi.tn.gov or by calling the tip line at 1-800-TBI-FIND.
