Search continues for autistic Tennessee teen who walked away from home a week ago

Search efforts continue for autistic teen Sebastian Wayne Drake Rogers from Tennessee, who has been missing a week. 

Investigators have left no stone unturned, searching for the 15-year-old with assistance from drones, helicopters planes and K-9 units and thousands of search and rescue volunteers since Tuesday, Feb. 27, the day a state-wide Amber Alert was issued. 

There have been no confirmed sightings of Sebastian since the search began, with law enforcement working under the assumption that he “walked off.” 

"There have been no investigative leads to take us anywhere,” Sumner County Sheriff Chief Deputy Eric Craddock said in a Thursday news conference, according to reporting by The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. 

Here’s what we know.

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What’s the latest update? 

The Sheriff’s Office reminded residents this weekend that they had the ability to make a crucial difference as the “search entered another critical day.” 

“We're asking everyone in the area to meticulously review footage from security 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 agency said on Facebook.

Deputies previously asked residents to search their properties once in the morning and again at night, focusing on sheds, crawl spaces, garages and under tarps in hopes of finding the teen — a practice they continued to encourage in the latest update. 

“Think of places where a child might seek shelter or could accidentally become trapped,” the post stated. 

The Sheriff’s Office has also encouraged residents to contact them with any information they may find, no matter how small. That includes footage of any of movements, vehicles, or individuals. 

• Detective Carter at (615)-442-1865 or [email protected]
• TBI Agent Simmons at 1-(800)-TBI-FIND or [email protected]
• Sumner County Sheriff’s Office at (615)-451-3838
• Security camera footage can be uploaded here (Residents have been asked to follow up via email/by phone so an officer can physically retrieve the footage)

“Thank you for your attention and for all that you’re doing to help. Let’s keep hope alive and work together for Sebastian’s safe return,” according to the post. 

USA TODAY has reached out to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office for comment.

When and where was Sebastian last seen? 

Sebastian was last seen Feb. 26 near Stafford Court, a neighborhood cul-de-sac in Hendersonville, which is over 10 miles northeast of Nashville, according to a post by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, who issued the endangered child alert on behalf of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office. 

He was wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants & glasses, the post states. He is 5’5”, 120 pounds and has dirty blond hair, according to reporting from the Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. 

Sebastian’s family has declined to speak publicly about the disappearance, issuing a statement Wednesday through TBI. 

“Understandably, there is interest in hearing from friends and family to help provide more of a personal context about Sebastian. However, we have been requested by the family to let local media know that they are not in a position to speak to or be available to the media at this time,” according to the statement obtained by The Tennessean. 

Contributing: Katie Nixon, Craig Shoup and Nicole Young; The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network