Following the raid by FBI agents at Brian Laundrie's Florida home, demand for the arrest of his parents has grown on social media. Angry netizens are accusing Christopher Laundrie and his wife Roberta Laundrie of helping escape their son following his girlfriend gabby Petito's disappearance.
Laundrie was named a person of interest in Petito's disappearance last week. Petito's death was ruled as a homicide after the county coroner confirmed that human remains found in remote northern Wyoming along the border of Grand Teton national park belonged to the Long Island native.
Laundrie's Parents Were Briefly Detained During Raid
According to Radar Online, the couple was detained by the FBI after the authorities declared their house an active crime scene, following the discovery of Petito's body.
The outlet reported that Laundrie's parents after complying with the FBI to leave the premises got into the black van. They were joined by one of the agents. After spending some time inside the van, the couple went back inside their home.
The New York Post reported that according to the law-experts it is unlikely that Laundrie's parents will face criminal charges in connection with Gabby Petito's disappearance and death.
"To charge someone as an accessory after the fact, you have to establish that the person knew that they were harboring someone who had committed a crime and they did so in a way to prevent the police from apprehending him. That's a fairly high threshold [authorities] have to find in terms of intent," Alfredo Garcia, a former Florida assistant state attorney, told the outlet, adding, "I seriously doubt an obstruction charge now is in the cards."
Stating that it would be very difficult to charge the parents with anything, former FBI Agent Olivier Farache told the outlet, "I think it's going to be very unlikely that anybody's going to be charged other than Brian if it turns out he's the one who is suspected of having committed the crime. I think as a general rule it's very difficult to charge parents for helping a kid if they weren't part of the act itself. I can't imagine a lot of prosecutorial resources going to go after the parents."
Social Media Lashes Out at Laundrie's Parents
Ever since the discovery of Petito's body, angry social media users are demanding the arrest of laundrie's parents for shielding him and allegedly helping in his escape.
"Has the @FBI said yet why Brian Laundrie's parents haven't been arrested for aiding and abetting? They 100% helped him escape justice. He is not missing after hiking in a nature reserve. He is in hiding after his parents helped him flee," wrote a Twitter user.
"No, #BrianLaundrie parents need to be arrested for obstruction of justice and many other things," wrote a user.
"Now that Gabby's death has been ruled a homicide,. if his parents have been found to have assisted Brian in anyway while hindering information to help this case, can they be charged or arrested and possibly see jail time?" added another.
