International- An attorney for
Brian Laundrie and his family, said his parents don't know where their son is. - Brian Laundrie has been missing since Sept.14. His fiancée
Gabby Petito 's body was found on Sept. 19. - Steve Bertolino said "speculation" that they had a hand in his disappearance "is just wrong."
An attorney representing Brian Laundrie and his family told Insider on Monday that his parents don't know where he is and any "speculation" that they assisted in his disappearance "is just wrong."
"Chris and Roberta Laundrie do not know where Brian is," Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said. "They are concerned about Brian and hope the FBI can locate him."
Gabby Petito, a 22-year-old travel vlogger, was reported missing by her family on September 11 after her fiancé Laundrie, 23, returned to his parents' home of North Port, Florida, alone on September 1 after the couple embarked on a cross-country road trip over the summer.
Laundrie's family told authorities that he had been missing since September 14 after he went on a hike to the Carlton Reserve in Florida. Authorities launched a manhunt for Laundrie, who was named a "person of interest" in Petito's disappearance.
On September 19, a body that authorities said was "consistent with the description" of Petito was found in the national park near the Spread Creek camping site. The FBI and the Petito family's lawyer later confirmed that the remains belonged to Petito, and her death was ruled a homicide last week. The FBI also issued an arrest warrant for Laundrie last Thursday.
"The speculation by the public and some in the press that the parents assisted Brian in leaving the family home or in avoiding arrest on a warrant that was issued after Brian had already been missing for several days is just wrong," Bertolino said.
Authorities said the warrant is related to Laundrie's activities following Petito's death, which included unauthorized use of a Capital One credit or debit card on purchases of $1,000 or more.
The warrant did not specify whom the card belonged to, but documents obtained by Insider from the Suffolk County Police Department showed that Petito banked with Capital One.
According to documents released by the FBI, a grand jury issued an indictment for violation of the "Use of Unauthorized Access Devices" related to Laundrie's activities after the death of Petito. The indictment said Laundrie used the debit card sometime between August 30 to September 1, and the FBI said the warrant was pursuant to Laundrie's activities after Petito's death, which suggests Petito died before August 30.