Photo: Joao Paulo Burini / Moment / Getty Images
An American father, Mark Alexander Cummings Rogers, 51, could face child endangerment charges after taking his 13-year-old son into the Brazilian wilderness for a technology detox. The pair went missing last Wednesday (August 28) and were found on Tuesday (September 3) by Brazil’s Military Fire Department.
Rogers, a California native, reportedly took his son to a secluded area near Balneário Camboriú in southern Brazil without informing anyone. The father and son had been living in Brazil for six years, and the teen also holds Nicaraguan citizenship. They were reported missing after the boy missed several days of school, prompting a frantic search by local authorities who distributed missing persons posters in hopes of locating them.
During the search, authorities discovered the duo's cell phones at a construction site and found Rogers' car, a Jeep with US plates, hours later. Police also visited Rogers' apartment and found his cats without food, indicating they had been left unattended.
Friends of Rogers reported that he had been acting strangely and discussing conspiracy theories before disappearing. The father and son do not appear to have other relatives in Brazil. As the investigation continues, authorities have not released further information about the case.
Local authorities are considering charges against Rogers for child endangerment due to the potential risks involved in taking a minor into an isolated area without proper notification or preparation.