The mother of missing Florida teen Caitlyn Frisina is gobsmacked that she ran away with Rian Rodriguez, a 27-year-old friend and soccer coach at the girl’s high school.
Scarlet Frisina told CBS in an interview that aired Friday that she and her husband had no idea that the 17-year-old was conspiring to run away with the family friend.
‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘We’ve gone over that question in our minds a thousand times since this happened.’
This comes as police revealed that Caitlyn already had a boyfriend, one who she brought to Thanksgiving dinner last week.
The mother of missing Florida teen Caitlyn Frisina broke down in tears during an interview which aired Friday – five days after her daughter ran away
Caitlyn, left, is traveling with Rian Rodriguez (right), the 27-year-old boys soccer coach at her high school and a family friend
‘If they had a prior relationship it was a very, very tight secret. Caitlyn actually has a boyfriend. The boyfriend spent thanksgiving with her,’ said Columbia County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Murray Smith.
‘[Rodriguez] was a fine young man, he was a mentor to the soccer team, there was no indicators that he would do something like this,’ Sgt. Smith added.
When asked if her daughter may have been leading a secret life, Mrs Frisina responded: ‘Well, that’s what we wonder… something was going on. We just don’t know what.’
And it was previously reported that police obtained a text message, sent to a threat, that Caitlyn and Rodriguez may have had a ‘relationship’ – but they refused to go into detail about whether it was sexual or not.
Mrs Frisina says she had no idea why her daughter disappeared and that she may have been leading a secret life. The mother and daughter pictured above
Caitlyn’s father was too emotional to sit down for an interview. He is allegedly blaming himself because he encouraged Rodriguez to interview for the high school coaching job. The father and daughter pictured above
If it was, Rodriguez could face charges for sexual assault since the age of consent in Florida is 18.
‘I know that she to some degree left on her own. But I absolutely believe that she was lied to and totally misled,’ her mom said.
Caitlyn’s father Ward was too emotional to sit down for the interview with CBS.
His wife says he’s blaming himself for his daughter’s disappearance, since he encouraged Rodriguez to go out for the boys soccer team coaching job at Fort White High School, where he also coaches.
‘He said, “I can’t believe I put not just my child but other people’s children in this kind of environment,”‘ Scarlet said. ‘That’s hard for him.’
The pair are believed to be driving a 2011 red Mercury sable similar to the above car with the license plate #Z04CSC
Sunday morning, Rodriguez’s car was spotted at a gas station in Hardeeville, South Carolina
An hour and a half later, the two were pictured together on surveillance camera stopping at another gas station in St. George, South Carolina
Before Caitlyn left home, she wiped all the data off of her cellphone. But police obtained one text she sent to a friend indicating that she and Rodriguez might have a relationship
At 3:45pm on Sunday, Rodriguez’s car was spotted outside a pawn shop in Fayetteville, North Carolina
It appears that Rodriguez was the only one to get out of the car for this trip
Authorities would not say what kind of item or items Rodriguez, right, was trying to sell at the pawn shop
In a previous interview, Mr Frisina said he had no idea ‘what brought this on’ and that running away is not something he would ever expect his daughter to do.
Scarlet added: ‘I can’t fathom. I don’t know. It’s breaking my heart.’
Most heartbreaking of all was watching her little brother Chandler struggle not to cry on national television.
‘I miss having someone to talk to,’ he said. ‘Just give me a call if you can’t give anyone else a call. Please.’
Caitlyn and Rodriguez were spotted a handful of times on Sunday, the day they skipped town, but haven’t been seen since then. They are travelling in a northeastern direction – with officials saying they may try to cross the border into Canada.
Residents in Pennsylvania and New York are being asked to keep an eye out for the pair, since Rodriguez has family in Pennsylvania and Caitlyn has family in New York.
So far, no one has been charged with a crime in connection to Caitlyn’s disappearance
Caitlyn’s (right) father said he helped Rodriguez (left) get the coaching job at the local high school
Police believe Caitlyn sneaked out of her house through her bedroom window late Saturday night or early Sunday morning – after wiping all of the data off her phone and leaving it behind.
She was first spotted in the early hours of Sunday morning, withdrawing $200 from an ATM in St. Mary’s, Florida.
Rodriguez’s car was spotted on surveillance cameras stopping at a gas station in Hardeeville, South Carolina at 7:30am – around the time that Caitlyn’s parents woke up and noticed she was missing.
At 9am, the couple were seen for the first time on surveillance camera together, making another stop at a Pilot gas station in St. George, South Carolina.
From there, the two continued northward to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where Rodriguez was seen pawning items at a pawn shop in the early evening. Authorities would not say what he was trying to sell.
Rodriguez is thought to be driving a 2001 red Mercury Sable with the license plate #Z04CSC.
Mrs Frisina pleaded with her daughter (pictured) to return in a Facebook message on Sunday. ‘Let someone, anyone, know that you’re ok!!!’ she said
The family of missing Florida teen Caitlyn Frisina spoke to the Today show in an interview that aired Thursday morning. From left to right: little brother Chandler, mom Scarlet and dad Ward
‘I miss having someone to talk to,’ little brother Chandler, left, said. ‘Just give me a call if you can’t give anyone else a call. Please’
Following his disappearance Rodriguez has been suspended from the school pending an investigation.
The Columbia County School District released the following statement on Rodriguez: ‘The Columbia County School District is cooperating fully with the Columbia County Sheriff’s office with regard to an investigation against one of our current supplemented employees.
‘The employee has been suspended pending this investigation and is no longer serving in the supplemented capacity as Head Boys’ Soccer Coach at Fort White High School.
‘Depending on the outcome of this investigation the information may be sent to FLDOE to determine if any violations of the Principles of Professional Conduct for the Education Profession in Florida or local School Board Policy have occurred.
‘Again, the employee has been suspended and will be restricted from all contact with students. No other comments will be made pending this investigation.’
Caitlyn’s mom said on Friday that she’s scared the couple are running out of money and might not have enough to eat or stay warm as they head north.
She says she’s glued to her phone, hoping for a call that her girl is safe.
Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call Det. Marszalek at 386-719-2005.
