The FBI is currently looking into the disappearance of Jaime Dugan, a former contestant from “Survivor,” along with her 16-year-old son, Harper Huffman. There’s a report that the boy’s father is anxiously seeking his safe return.
Dugan, 41, was last seen with her son after not bringing him back to his father following a weekend visit on August 30, as indicated by a news source.
According to reports, the FBI has opened an investigation regarding their whereabouts.
In a court order dated September 21, a family court judge found Dugan in contempt after she prevented Harper from seeing his father and failed to appear at subsequent court hearings.
The judge identified the 16-year-old as “missing and endangered” and instructed law enforcement to arrest Dugan immediately, allowing her custody to be enforced statewide.
Amid the ongoing search, Harper’s father, Erik Huffman, expressed his fears for his son’s safety. He stated, “Harper’s safety and wellbeing is my top priority right now, and getting him back safely is extremely important.”
Huffman emphasized the strong relationship he and Harper had built since he became the boy’s primary guardian, mentioning how well Harper was doing until this incident.
Dugan and Huffman met in 2007 while competing on “Survivor: China.” They became a couple on the show, won a lavish wedding in 2009, and settled in South Carolina, where they had Harper in 2010.
After the reality show, Huffman worked as a physician assistant while Dugan garnered a significant online following as an influencer.
Things took a downturn when they went through a highly publicized divorce in 2024, during which Huffman was awarded custody of their son, allowing Dugan limited visitation rights.
Despite the conflict, Huffman had always wished for a cordial relationship between Harper and his mother.
Now, though, his only concern is bringing his son back home. He has been actively searching for answers, reaching out to law enforcement across South Carolina, and he described it as a daunting and stressful ordeal.
After Dugan failed to return Harper in August, a court hearing was held on September 15, where she participated remotely despite lacking the judge’s permission. The judge demanded she disclose her and Harper’s whereabouts, but she didn’t comply. When she didn’t appear in person on September 18, the court found this absence to be intentional and ordered her arrest.
The judge suspended Dugan’s visitation rights, granted sole custody to Huffman, and ordered her to surrender Harper’s passport, instituting a potential jail time at the Spartanburg County Detention Center upon her arrest.
The court proceedings also revealed allegations that were made during their custody battle. Dugan had accused Huffman of abuse and made claims against Harper’s paternal grandmother, yet she reportedly did not cooperate with investigations regarding these allegations. The judge dismissed these claims as baseless, asserting that if Dugan genuinely feared for Harper’s safety, there were legal channels available rather than evading custody orders.
Huffman has rejected these allegations, describing them as hurtful.
Dugan’s legal issues appear not to be over. She faced a cyberstalking charge in 2025 in North Carolina, accused of harassing one of Huffman’s friends, though that charge was dropped later.
Shortly after the divorce, she filed for Chapter 13 bankruptcy protection in federal court in South Carolina, citing debts over $509,000.
Her divorce attorney stated that Dugan remains considered innocent until proven guilty in a court, and he voiced hope for Harper’s swift and safe return.
