Interest in the case has been nationwide, but now Sebastian's mother, Katie Proudfoot, indicates it's gone too far.
SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The mother of missing Tennessee teenager Sebastian Rogers said she's being stalked by a YouTuber who's covering the case. That YouTuber, however, claims she is innocent.
Rogers, 15, disappeared five months ago from his family's home in Hendersonville, located about 15 miles northeast of Nashville. Dozens have and continue to search for the boy, though some efforts have been scaled back.
While Rogers' father, Seth Rogers, recently spoke about searching for his son with Nexstar's WKRN, Sebastian's mother, Katie Proudfoot, and stepfather, Chris Proudfoot, have largely remained out of the media, even as interest in the case has spread.
Despite maintaining their privacy, Katie now says she is being stalked and harassed. She recently requested a temporary order of protection against a YouTuber by the name of "Bullhorn Betty."
A description of the account, which has more than 34,000 subscribers, says "Bullhorn Betty" is a "victim rights activist" who covers certain cases to "help in the search of those missing and/or presumed dead."
The petition for an order of protection was filed last week in Sumner County with the sheriff's office. According to that document, Katie claimed that Andra Griffin, the woman behind the "Bullhorn Betty" account, is inciting the public and her social media followers to aid in her stalking the Proudfoot family.
Katie is quoted saying, in part, "She threatens us and posts 'live' while driving by our home."
She also called the YouTuber "dangerous," adding that Griffin had accused the family of harming Sebastian.
"She is dangerous and is threatening my and my family's safety and telling her followers to help and do the same," one statement from Katie read.
Griffin told WKRN she had not received the temporary protection order but said she was innocent of these accusations.
"If it is from her, then that is absolutely a falsehood. They can go and look at all my 'lives,'" Griffin said. "My 'lives' never come down off my channel. Driving on public property, on public roads, with a camera hanging out, there's nothing unlawful about that. That happened over a month ago; it's only the time I've been in the Hendersonville area."
As of Sunday, there is still a video on the Bullhorn Betty page from a June livestream in which Griffin appears to be outside the Proudfoot home. There is another video, posted on August 1, in which Griffin says she is near a campground Chris Proudfoot was "allegedly" at, adding that she had "been here through the week" and that "he hasn't been coming to his camper." Griffin goes on to say she was going by their house later that day.
"It appears for her to get an ex parte order from everything I am reading, she would have to say I am an imminent threat to her life and I am in Florida," Griffin continued. "I have never laid eyes on this woman in the flesh. I have never reached out to her by phone, email, or text messages; I have never even responded to any of her Facebook posts. I haven't talked to this lady."
There are other videos in which Griffin appears to accuse the Proudfoots of not wanting Sebastian found.
Griffin said she believes these accusations are just a distraction. "I don't like the drama on the channel, and the more I resist it and keep it focused on Sebastian, the more these distractions keep coming up."
She went on to say, "it's all about Sebastian Rogers" and "and how we can bring him home," and not about his parents.
A court hearing is set for Aug. 8 at the Sumner County Courthouse. Bullhorn Betty's YouTube videos will be summarized for the DA's office. Until then, the document said Griffin could not come within 100 feet of Katie or her home.
WKRN reached out to Katie Proudfoot for comment but did not receive a response.
Also coming up this month is a prayer vigil for Sebastian on Aug. 24 in Clarksville at 5 p.m. On Aug. 26, the sixth-month mark since Sebastian's disappearance, Seth Rogers and other community members will gather in Sumner County to bring awareness to Sebastian and some of the unanswered questions.
