ATLANTA — The parents of a missing 16-year-old are pleading for help as the search for him enters its eleventh day.
Benjamin Brathwaite walked out the door of his family home in Atlanta with no cellphone, no wallet, no identification.
“His personality is large. He is shy, somewhat, and reserved,” his mother, Tonya Brathwaite, told Channel 2’s Karyn Greer.
The 6-foot 5-inch basketball standout at Kipp Atlanta Collegiate takes daily medication for ADHD, and his family is fearful he has been off it for nearly two weeks.
“It could contribute to a level of disorientation that he may be experiencing right now,” his father, William Brathwaite, said. “The longer he stays gone, the more concerned we get.”
They say their son is responsible, loving, and stays in touch. While he has left to cool off before, he’s never left for more than a couple of hours.
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“Ben got upset about something his mom was trying to get him to do. And That’s where things, I think, took a turn,” William Brathwaite said.
In an exclusive interview, the Brathwaite family told Greer that they have set up a command center in their home, and they are working closely with Atlanta police.
They have flyers up all over the city and on social media.
“We’ve been working very closely with the Atlanta Police Department, and we have established a tip line and a website,” Tonya Brathwaite said.
Just days before Mother’s Day, the family is pleading with the public to help bring him home.
“There is an emptiness when your child is missing,” Tonya Brathwaite said.
Police canvassed the neighborhood near the family’s home on Wednesday looking for clues.
A family friend is offering a $10,000 reward to help bring Ben home safely.
They ask if you see something, say something, and call 911 immediately.
They believe he is out there, frightened and perhaps disoriented.
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