The parents of a man whose girlfriend mysteriously disappeared during a road trip the couple was on together have claimed that their son is “unavailable” to speak with authorities about the matter. Gabby Petito, 22 and from Long Island, was last seen in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park in late August with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie. However, after her family filed a missing person’s report on September 11 after not hearing from her in 13 days, Laundrie suddenly left their 2012 Ford Transit van with Florida plates behind, flew home, got a lawyer, and has refused to speak with authorities.
View this post on Instagram
- Laundrie’s father, Christopher, won’t even say where he is. Approached on Monday, September 13, Christopher refused to comment on his son’s whereabouts. Brian is apparently “unavailable” to answer any questions about the circumstances around Petito’s disappearance and won’t do so willingly, if at all.
- The North Port police aren’t exactly doing anything to force the issue. As a spokesperson for the force, Josh Taylor, said: “We have not talked with him, we would love to talk to him. He is under no obligation to talk to us – and he has not. And we don’t even know yet if a crime happened.” However, they did admit in a separate statement that “the circumstances are odd.”
- Petito’s mother is hopeful that her daughter will come home safely. “I believe a mother’s instinct is the most powerful,” Nicole Schmidt said during a press conference, as per the New York Post. She added: “As a mom, I had concerns about a daughter going on a road trip in general, but I felt safe, they were together. They had a plan, an itinerary, and we were excited for them. Everyone wanted to be doing what they were doing.”
- Schmidt last heard from her daughter on August 30. She told Fox News that she’s unsure of whether Petito ever left Grand Teton or if the last messages she received from Gabby were actually from her. “I don’t know if she left Grand Teton or no. I did receive a text from her on the 27th and the 30th, but I don’t know if it was technically her or not, because it was just a text. I didn’t verbally speak to her,” she said.
- Petito’s family is urging Brian Laundrie to speak to police. As Schmidt said in a statement released via her lawyer on Wednesday, September 15: “Brian claims he wants to sit in the background while we search for Gabby in the wilderness of the Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. Brian left Gabby in the wilderness with grizzly bears and wolves while he sits in the comfort of his home. In his home! Brian, how could you do this to Gabby? Brian, whatever happened in Wyoming, happened. The only thing you can control is what you do now. Tell us where Gabby is.” Sadly, I feel that plea will fall on deaf ears.
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
