Brian Laundrie’s reclusive father broke cover on Thursday and even cracked a smile, in exclusive photos obtained by a newspaper outlet, as he joined federal investigations in their search for his runaway son in a snake and alligator-infested Florida reserve.
Christopher Laundrie, 62, seemingly didn’t have a care in the world as he was photographed helping in the manhunt in the immense 24,565-acre Carlton Reserve, where police found remnants of a fresh campsite Wednesday and believe Brian Laundrie could be hiding.
Christopher Laundrie left his North Port home and arrived at the park near Venice before 10 am, where he waited for police and park rangers to open the gate so that he could search the forested area along with the FBI, who have been on the hunt for the prime suspect in Gabby Petito’s death since September 14.
Strangely enough, he was spotted alongside a young officer who resembled Brian Laundrie and the two shared a laugh as they walked along the trail.
Wearing a grey T-shirt, cargo pants and holding a plastic carrier that appeared to contain papers, or possibly a map and food, Christopher Laundrie spent hours in the park with around five FBI officers and was dripping sweat in the Florida heat.
He took breaks to drink water on the outskirts of the park along the road as a police helicopter was also flying overhead to assist in the search.
Investigators had brought in Christopher Laundrie to help lead them along the trails Brian Laundrie was known to frequent. However, his guidance displayed little fruit as officials made no discoveries and Christopher Laundrie returned home, where his wife Roberta, 55, was supposed to have been waiting for him, and the couple have hardly left their home since their son disappeared.
CNN’s Chris Cuomo reported that in the meantime, an attorney for the family said that Brian Laundrie’s parents believe that’s precisely where he’s located.
Attorney Steven Bertolino said that there were no discoveries on Thursday but the effort was helpful to all and that it appears that the water in the Preserve was declining and some areas are more accessible to search now.
He said the whole Laundrie family are appreciative of the arduous work of the dedicated members of law enforcement that have been searching the Preserve for Brian over the last few weeks, and that hopefully Brian will be located shortly.
However, we can’t imagine how frustrating and maddening this must be to Gabby Petito’s family, and how they’re not losing their minds every day is unbearable.
Sadly, everyone wants to be Columbo at the moment and has an idea of what happened and how it happened, but nobody will really know the truth until Brian Laundrie is found, if he’s ever found, or even if he’s found alive.
How could any parent find something funny when out looking for their son? And how awful it must be for Gabby Petito’s parents to see this.
This doesn’t look like a father who has a missing son!
And there appears to be so much confusion about what’s going on and so many odd things about Brian Laundrie’s parents, but hopefully, there will soon be closure for Gabby Petito’s family.
Unfortunately, this has become almost like reality show TV. This is reality because a human being got killed, but it’s coming across like a show, and what could Brian Laundrie’s father possibly do to assist investigators in the manhunt?
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