Sebastian Rogers

Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers, born December 7, 2008, was 15 years old when he disappeared from his family's home on Stafford Court in Hendersonville, Sumner County, Tennessee. Sebastian is autistic and, according to authorities, has medical conditions that could impair his ability to return home safely without assistance; he did not have his required medication with him. On February 25, 2024, he spent the day with his mother, Katie Proudfoot, before returning home for the evening. His mother, the only other person in the house that night — his stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, was reportedly traveling for work — said she heard a loud bang or thump from Sebastian's bedroom at about 10 p.m. and that he answered when she called out to check on him. The next morning, February 26, he was gone from his room and was reported missing.

The circumstances immediately troubled investigators and the public alike. Sebastian left behind his shoes, cell phone, money, food, medication, and his Nintendo Switch; according to his mother, the only item missing from the home was a small yellow flashlight. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an Endangered Child Alert on the morning of February 26, 2024, and upgraded it to a statewide AMBER Alert on the afternoon of February 27 based on additional investigative information developed during the search.

The search that followed was one of the largest in Middle Tennessee history. Roughly 2,000 volunteers and personnel, coordinated with a search app, combed a four-and-a-half-mile radius around the home — an area equivalent to about 44,000 acres — in the first week. Efforts included ground teams, aerial surveillance with thermal imaging, dive teams searching waterways (Sebastian was reportedly drawn to water), and cave exploration; a landfill was also searched without producing evidence or leads, according to officials. The FBI and Secret Service assisted the Sumner County Sheriff's Office and TBI. Despite hundreds of tips, authorities have reported no confirmed sightings of Sebastian since the night he vanished.

In August 2024, roughly six months into the investigation, the FBI announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to Sebastian's whereabouts or to the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for his disappearance. His parents publicly thanked the FBI and appealed for tips. The case also drew intense social media attention and speculation; investigators have said there is no credible evidence of foul play and no evidence implicating Sebastian's mother, stepfather, or biological father, Seth Rogers, all of whom officials said have cooperated fully. Authorities have also said no one has been ruled out. A celebrity bounty hunter, Duane 'Dog' Chapman, separately conducted his own search efforts and raised private reward money, according to news reports.

At the two-year mark in February 2026, Sumner County Sheriff Eric Craddock stated that the case 'has never been closed or suspended' and remains active and ongoing, with detectives following all credible leads in coordination with the TBI and FBI. Sebastian, who would now be 17, is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall and about 120 pounds, with brown or blond hair, brown or hazel eyes, and square black-framed glasses; he was last known to be wearing a black sweatshirt and black sweatpants. Tips can be submitted to the TBI at 1-800-TBI-FIND, the Sumner County Sheriff's Office, or tips.fbi.gov.