‘Survivor’ Contestant Jaime Dugan Speaks Out After ‘Disappearing With Son’Martin Holmes Mon, October 5, 2026 at 6:01 PM UTC
Jaime Dugan - Jaime Dugan Instagram
The FBI is investigating the disappearance of former Survivor contestant Jaime Dugan (41) and her 16-year-old son, Harper Huffman, who were reported missing by Harper’s father and Dugan’s ex-husband, Erik Huffman (45).
According to the Daily Mail, a judge has ordered the arrest of Dugan, who allegedly failed to return her son to his father following a weekend visitation on August 30 in South Carolina. Spartanburg County Family Court Judge M. Todd Thigpen held Dugan in direct contempt after she kept Harper from Erik and missed later court dates.
Harper is considered “missing and endangered,” and the judge has cleared police statewide to take Dugan into custody.
Update 10/05/26: Dugan has responded to the claims on her Instagram page, sharing several screenshots of documents, including police reports. She alleged, “I really didn’t want to have to post this for Harper’s sake… but Harper was molested by his grandmother, Denise Huffman. He was also physically assaulted on multiple occasions by his father. He is seeing a psychiatrist and working through the abuse.”
Dugan went on to claim that Harper did not disclose the abuse to her but “disclosed it to a nurse who was a mandatory reporter. He was subsequently interviewed by the police. They confirmed the abuse. There is an active investigation.”
She also claimed she had not been contacted by the police or the FBI nor was she served a court order.
The previous version of this article follows below.
Erik told the Daily Mail that he fears for his son’s safety, saying, “Harper’s safety and wellbeing is my top priority right now, and getting him back safely is extremely important.”
“I truly am concerned about [Dugan’s] mental stability and his safety. I feel like I’ve been working night and day on this,” he added. “I’ve made it my own investigation to try to get answers, driving across South Carolina, speaking to various law enforcement. It’s been a logistical nightmare. It’s been stressful and it’s been tough. I’m very worried about my son.”
Despite growing up just 25 miles apart in South Carolina, Dugan and Erik didn’t meet until they competed on Survivor: China in 2007. As members of the same starting tribe, Dugan and Erik grew close, and their friendship turned romantic after filming wrapped. They tied the knot in 2009 and welcomed Harper in 2010.
In 2024, the pair went through a messy divorce, with Dugan accusing Erik of infidelity and domestic abuse. Erik was arrested in January 2024 on domestic violence charges following an alleged fight with Dugan at a convenience store.
Despite the allegations of domestic violence, Erik was awarded custody of Harper in the couple’s eight-day divorce trial. Dugan was given every-other-weekend visits.
An emergency court hearing took place on September 15, where Dugan joined remotely and refused to reveal her and Harper’s whereabouts. The judge ordered her to appear in person with Harper at court on September 18. When neither showed up, the judge ordered her arrest, suspended her visitation, and gave Erik sole custody.
Related
'Survivor 51': Jeff Probst on Rule Violation That Forced Producer Intervention in Episode 2
The latest order also noted the allegations that sparked the former couple’s original custody battle. Dugan had accused Erik of physical abuse and Harper’s paternal grandmother of sexual abuse. However, she refused to cooperate or make Harper available when investigators sought to interview him, per the Daily Mail.
Erik denied the allegations, calling them “egregious and hurtful.” Meanwhile, the judge deemed the allegations unfounded and said that Dugan had other legal options besides hiding her son.
Jonathan Lewis, Dugan’s divorce attorney, told the outlet that the former Survivor castaway is “considered innocent if or until she is proven guilty of a criminal offense, or liable of a civil offense, following proper proceedings in a court of law.”
He added, “I join in praying for Harper’s safe return and that this matter will quickly and decisively resolve itself in the best interests of Harper.”
Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider.
Source: Crime
0 Comments