Sebastian Rogers: Officials ‘not ruling anything out’ in search for missing Tennessee teen

SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — Officials in Tennessee say they are continuing to search for 15-year-old Sebastian Rogers.

It’s now been over a month since the teen went missing from his home off Stafford Court in Hendersonville. Despite several agencies covering tens of thousands of miles looking for him, there still have been no signs of Sebastian.

“We understand the anxiety and the concern that this case has caused in the community. We, too, share the anxiety and concern for Sebastian. I want to reiterate that we are doing everything we can to find Sebastian and bring him home,” Sumner County Chief Deputy Eric Craddock said during a press conference — which you can watch in the video player above — on Tuesday.

As of Tuesday, April 2, Craddock said there has still been no evidence pointing to foul play in Sebastian’s disappearance, but they are “not ruling anything out.” Investigators have continued to follow several leads, with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) alone receiving 314 tips.

TIMELINE: The disappearance of Sumner County teen Sebastian Rogers

Craddock said a pair of glasses were found within the past few days, but authorities are still working to figure out if they are connected to Sebastian.

“My hope and prayer is that Sebastian is still alive. We’re going to continue to work on this investigation and follow every lead that comes in,” Craddock said. “Some of this may revert back to us going over some things that we’ve already done for the sixth, seventh, eighth time. A fresh set of eyes never hurt anything.”

The TBI initially issued an Endangered Child Alert for Sebastian after his parents reported him missing from their Hendersonville home on Monday, Feb. 26. However, the agency upgraded the alert level to an AMBER Alert the next day “based on additional investigative information.”

In addition to searchers covering miles on the ground, numerous search warrants were issued within the first week of his disappearance, with cellphone data analyzed, and any other available digital evidence searched and documented.

Officials scaled back the ground search on Monday, March 4, stating that they were transitioning to an investigation. Then on March 7, they searched a landfill in White Plains, Kentucky, where trash went from Sebastian’s neighborhood.

Authorities called the search of the landfill a “precautionary measure to eliminate possible options and questions” and said there was “no specific information” indicating evidence related to the search for Sebastian was there.

Sebastian Rogers AMBER Alert: Officials say no evidence, leads found after landfill search

The search concluded that evening, with authorities later stating that it did not provide any additional clues as to what happened to Sebastian. Despite few updates since then, TBI spokesperson Susan Niland said investigators are still working around the clock.

“Even though there is not that high visibility in investigating this case, we are not done,” she said. “This has gone back to what could be considered good ole fashioned police work, interviewing individuals, re-interviewing individuals, checking out leads, re-checking leads.”

Amid the many tips that have come in, Niland said some have been related to misinformation and rumors being spread on social media. She asked that the community continue to share information, but about things like conversations people may have had with the missing teen, where he liked to go and “any people he may have mentioned that are in his life.”

“We want people to continue to remain vigilant. Get Sebastian’s picture out there. Continue to share his picture, his information,” Niland said, adding that people should continue to search places where a teen may have gone to hide, like in their yards.

As it neared a month without any signs of the missing teen, volunteers who had been assisting in the search for missing Missouri student Riley Strain in Nashville turned their efforts to Sumner County, where Sebastian’s father, Seth Rogers, had been searching for his son.

The United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit that reportedly specializes in missing person cases and rescue operations, also joined in the search around Monday, March 25, but later pulled back as volunteers allegedly began receiving death threats toward the end of the week.

During the press conference Tuesday, Craddock said the sheriff’s office had not received any reports of threats made against the United Cajun Navy. The organization is operating independently from the sheriff’s office and Craddock said they have not reached out to deputies.

However, Craddock said the sheriff’s office is thankful for volunteers distributing flyers of Sebastian and working to “keep his name out there.” Niland also thanked the community for being “all in” on finding Sebastian.

“If my kid was missing, this is the team I would want on it,” Craddock said. “The men and women of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI partners, the other local agencies, the Secret Service, everyone who has had a hand in this case is doing everything they can to find Sebastian. Morale is high. We are here and we are dedicated.”

If you have seen Sebastian or have info about his whereabouts, you are asked to call the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office at (615) 451-3838 or TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND.

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