Former “Survivor” contestant Jaime Dugan has broken her silence after disappearing with her 16-year-old son and becoming the subject of an arrest warrant in South Carolina.
Dugan, 41, allegedly failed to return her son, Harper, to his father, Erik Huffman, in August, according to the Daily Mail.
The dispute has since escalated into a law enforcement matter, with authorities seeking Dugan while questions continue to surround the teenager’s whereabouts.
The Daily Mail reported Sunday that Dugan had finally spoken publicly about the case after weeks out of the spotlight.
During the interview, she even put Harper on the phone, marking one of the first signs that the teenager was apparently with her and able to speak.
The bizarre development comes after Dugan allegedly failed to hand Harper back over to Huffman as expected in August.
An arrest warrant was subsequently issued for the former reality star in South Carolina.
The outlet’s headline described Dugan as being “wanted by the FBI,” although the available portion of the report specifically states that police are seeking her and that a South Carolina warrant has been issued.
The case has attracted heightened attention because of Dugan’s television past.
She previously appeared on “Survivor,” the long-running CBS competition series that places contestants in remote locations while they compete for a cash prize.
Now, however, Dugan is at the center of a very different kind of drama.
Her disappearance with Harper comes amid what the Daily Mail has described as an ugly divorce battle involving Huffman.
The father has reportedly expressed serious concern over the situation as he waits for his son to return.
Exactly where Dugan and Harper have been staying has not been publicly disclosed in the portion of the report available.
It also remains unclear whether Dugan intends to return the teenager or surrender herself in connection with the warrant.
Her decision to speak to the press nevertheless represents a major turn in the case.
Until now, much of the story has focused on Huffman’s concern and the search for Dugan.
By speaking out and putting Harper on the phone, Dugan appears to be attempting to tell her side of the dispute while authorities continue seeking her.
The legal circumstances surrounding the custody battle remain unresolved.
The available report does not specify the exact charge attached to the warrant or whether Dugan has formally been accused of violating a particular custody order.
What is known is that she allegedly failed to return Harper to his father in August and has since become wanted by authorities.
The case now leaves several major questions unanswered.
Authorities have not publicly resolved where Dugan and Harper are, when Harper may be returned to his father, or whether Dugan plans to turn herself in.
For now, the former “Survivor” star remains at the center of an escalating family and legal dispute — one that has moved far beyond reality television and into an active search by law enforcement.
