Former “Survivor” star Jaime Dugan is missing along with her 16-year-old son, and authorities are investigating.
Dugan, who competed on “Survivor: China,” failed to return her son, Harper Huffman, to his father after a weekend visit on Aug. 30, The Daily Mail reports. They haven’t been seen since.
Dugan’s ex and her former “Survivor” co-star, Erik Huffman, were granted sole custody, with Dugan getting every-other-weekend visits. A judge has ordered Dugan’s arrest, saying Harped is “missing and endangered,” and the FBI has opened an investigation.
“We have such a good relationship. I had set up a good routine for him at my home, with school, and therapists, and tutors, and church youth groups,” Huffman told the outlet. “He was really coming into his own and had a very stable life with me. I hate that he’s been ripped away.”
“I do fear for his safety. Throughout my separation and divorce, I’ve desired for Harper to have a relationship with his mother,” he added. ” truly am concerned about her mental stability, and his safety. I feel like I’ve been working night and day on this. I’ve made it my own investigation to try to get answers, driving across South Carolina, speaking to various law enforcement. It’s been a logistical nightmare. It’s been stressful and it’s been tough. I’m very worried about my son.”
The outlet reports that Dugan appeared remotely at an emergency court hearing in September, refusing to reveal where she and her son are. She was then ordered to show up in person a few days later, but did not attend.
Jaime Dugan Denies The Claims
In a text to the Daily Mail, Duggan said that she and her son are “absolutely not on the run.”
Then, in a phone call, she said she did not receive the proper information regarding the recent hearings, adding that she’s been available on her cell phone by her ex-husband as well as authorities. She added that law enforcement has not contacted her.
“The FBI has not contacted me whatsoever,” she told the outlet. “And Harper has done wellness checks with four officers.”
Jaime Dugan & Erik Huffman’s Relationship
Dugan and Huffman met while filming “Survivor: China” in 2007 and later got married. Neither of them won, but they married in 2009 and won an $80,000 dream wedding from the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, according to The New York Post.
They welcomed their son in 2010. Following the show, Huffman pursued a career as a physician’s assistant, while Dugan became a social media influencer known as “Charleston Blonde.”
However, the couple went through a messy divorce in 2024. After it was finalized, Dugan sought Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in South Carolina federal court, reporting debts topping $509,000, according to the Daily Mail.
Speaking to the Dialy Mail, Dugan’s attorney that represented her through the divorce, said that she is “considered innocent if or until she is proven guilty of a criminal offense, or liable of a civil offense, following proper proceedings in a court of law.”
“I join in praying for Harper’s safe return and that this matter will quickly and decisively resolve itself in the best interests of Harper,” Lewis added.
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Former ‘Survivor’ Contestant Missing With 16-Year-Old Son