Ky. Landfill Searched for Missing 15-Year-Old Tenn. Boy with Autism

Authorities have been looking for any sign of Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers, 15, of Hendersonville, Tenn., who was reported missing on Feb. 26

Authorities in two states are conducting a massive search for a 15-year-old Tennessee boy with autism who vanished in late February, including searching a Kentucky landfill.

Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers was last seen on Feb. 26, 2024 at his Sumner County home where he lives with his mother and stepfather, according to an Amber Alert from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

He left home carrying a flashlight and wearing all black — a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants, authorities said, WSMV reports.

The last time Sebastian’s mother, Katie Proudfoot, saw him was when she put him to bed on the night of Feb. 25, 2024.

“When I told him to go to bed, he was like, 'I love you mom, I love you puppies,' and he went to bed" she told WZTV. "I went to bed around midnight, and everything seemed fine and when I went to wake him up for school that’s when I couldn’t find him. He wasn’t in his room."

“My very first reaction was, 'Oh he got up and got breakfast' but when I realized he wasn’t actually in the house, I’ve never experienced sheer panic,” she told the outlet.

Katie called her husband, Chris Proudfoot, Sebastian’s stepfather, who was in Memphis for work, then dialed 911. She said she told police all of his shoes were still at home and the front door was locked when he vanished, WZTV reports.

She and Sebastian’s stepfather said they are clinging to hope that the boy is alive, but she told WZTV, "Every day is harder than the last."

Sebastian's father, Seth Rogers, is also worried. "I just want my son to come home," he told News Channel 5. If he hears me, I want him to tell somebody, 'I need your phone. Call 911.' If someone has you, son, run. Run to the next person you meet. Tell them who you are. Let them find you. Let the police find you so they can bring you back to me."

Rogers, who wears glasses, is a white male, is 5’5” tall, weighs 120 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen in the area of Stafford Court in Hendersonville, Tenn., according to NCMEC.

“Sebastian has a medical condition that may impair his ability to return safely without assistance,” the alert says.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation asked residents in Sumner County, "especially around Beech High School and Long Hollow Pike, to check any space on their property where he could seek shelter."

Since Sebastian vanished, law enforcement and volunteers have scoured the area for him. Authorities have searched for the boy using helicopters, drones and search-and-rescue dogs, WSMV reports.

On Thursday, authorities searched a landfill in Kentucky where garbage from Sumner County was taken, but didn’t find anything.

Members of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office searched a landfill in Hopkins County, Ridge Porter, a spokesman for the Kentucky State Police tells PEOPLE.

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“Despite exhaustive efforts, no leads or evidence pertaining to Sebastian Rogers’ whereabouts were discovered during the operation,” the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

Between 40 and 60 police officers came to the landfill "with shovels and rakes," he says. "They had big machinery there to help them dig and two to three cadaver dogs. They were out there all day yesterday but they didn't find anything."

“While we had hoped for a different outcome, our commitment to finding Sebastian remains unwavering,” said Sumner County Sheriff Sonny Weatherford. “We will continue to explore all available avenues and resources to bring closure to this case and provide answers to Sebastian’s family and loved ones.”

Seeking the Public’s Help

On March 2, the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office made a similar appeal to the public for help in a Facebook post.

“As the search for 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers enters another critical day, here's how you can make a crucial difference today,” it said.

The sheriff's office asked residents to review surveillance footage and trail cameras. “Please focus on the timeframe from SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. We believe even the smallest detail could be the key to locating Sebastian,” the post reads.

If anyone has information on the teen’s whereabouts, they are asked to call 911 or the Sumner County Emergency Center at 615-451-3838.

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