Brian Laundrie: Sister went camping with family after claiming she hadn’t seen missing man

Cassie Laundrie told ABC News she hadn’t seen her brother since he returned without Gabby Petito

The sister of Brian Laundrie went on a Labor Day camping trip with her family , despite claiming she hadn’t seen the missing man since he returned to Florida alone.

In comments to ABC News two weeks ago, Cassie Laundrie said she hadn’t seen Mr Laundrie since he returned to his parent’s home in North Port, Florida, on 1 September without Gabby Petito.

But in a text message to Newsnation reporter Brian Entin, Laundrie family attorney Steve Bertolino said Ms Laundrie had joined the family on a camping trip to Fort De Soto Park on 6 September.

“Cassie saw her brother Brian on September 01 when he stopped by her home and again on September 6 at Fort De Soto Park.

“Law enforcement agencies are well aware of these dates. Any prior communication by Cassie that does not reflect these dates is simply a difference of relating an answer to a question misinterpreted by Cassie or poorly posed by the inquirer.”

Ms Laundrie’s interview with ABC News is the only time any immediate member of the family have discussed the case publicly.

“Obviously me and my family want Gabby to be found safe,” she told the network.

“She’s like a sister and my children love her, and all I want is for her to come home safe and found and this to be just a big misunderstanding,” she told GMA, while praising her brother for being a “great uncle”.

The comments infuriated Ms Petito’s father Joe, who was still desperately hoping his daughter would be found alive.

“If that’s that family’s version of love, to just ignore and not care that someone’s gone and people are looking for them, an entire country’s looking for them,” Mr Petito said.

Ms Petito’s remains were found in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming a few days later on 19 September.

According to his parents Christopher and Roberta, Mr Laundrie, 23, left his parent’s home on 14 September saying he was going for a hike in the 25,000 acre Carlton Reserve.

He was reported missing three days later, sparking a nationwide search for the “person of interest” in his girlfriend Ms Petito’s disappearance.

The FBI have issued an arrest warrant for Mr Laundrie’s arrest after he is alleged to have fraudulently used a bank card to withdraw upwards of $1,000.

The Fort De Soto Park campsite first became a location of interest in the search for Mr Laundrie after Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman revealed the Laundries had been seen there in early September.