EXCLUSIVE: New video shows teen getting into car of family last seen with him
ST. MARY PARISH, La. (KLFY) Quawan Charles' family has continuously questioned why there was never an Amber Alert issued the night he was reported missing.
Baldwin Police say that's because this was not an abduction, and new video evidence obtained exclusively by KLFY proves that.
The video shows Charles sitting in his front yard at 1:37 p.m. on October 30. After a silver car passes, Charles chases after it.
Several minutes later, the car pulls into Charles' home.
Charles and his mother get out the car and head to the back yard to play with Charles' dog.
At 1:45 p.m. Charles and the other two individuals walk back to the car, jump in, and drive away.
"My understanding is that he left with a friend and a parent. That doesn't meet the criteria of an abduction," Thomas Gossen with Louisiana State Police said.
This is ultimately why an Amber Alert was never issued.
Records show Charles' mother called Baldwin police at 8:04 p.m. that night to report him missing.
Baldwin police started searching the town for possible locations Charles could have been and after he wasn't found, police entered the missing person report into NCIC, or the National Crime Information Center, and continued their investigation.
Charles' family continuously questioned why an Amber Alert was not issued.
Baldwin police say his disappearance did not meet the criteria for an Amber Alert.
"The criteria must be that the child must be 17 years of age or younger, they must be an abduction, and the circumstances around the case have to point to serious bodily injury or death," Gossen added.
Because Charles got into the family's car voluntarily, police say he was not abducted.
Authorities say only if Charles had been taken against his will could they have issued an Amber Alert.
*disclaimer* All comments made by State Police were made solely on the basis of Amber Alerts and not a reflection of video provided by Baldwin Police