Surveillance video released by the Baldwin Police Department shows 15-year-old Quawan "Bobby" Charles hours before he was reported missing.
Police released the video after facing criticism for how they handled the missing persons report. They say the video shows Quawan Charles wasn't abducted, but attorneys for his family still question whether police did enough. They wonder why an Amber Alert wasn't issued and why police didn't do more to alert the community about a missing child. The video released by Baldwin Police, they add, doesn't answer those questions.
"It doesn't provide a lot of answers by way of what ultimately occurred to go on because everything that gets problematic, scary, and mysterious occurs after that moment," said Chase Trichell, the Charles family's attorney.
Trichell says they are more interested in what happened to Quawan after the surveillance video. According to Baldwin Police, the video shows Quawan voluntarily getting into a vehicle with his friend and the friend's mother.
"We didn't see where it felt it met the criteria of an abduction or kidnapping," explained Baldwin Assistant Police Chief Sam Wise. "Because there were no eyewitnesses or no one to say that he had jumped in the vehicle or even beat him and took him into that vehicle. So it didn't meet the criteria to get in touch with State Police."
READ MORE: UPDATE: New info from Baldwin PD; video of Quawan Charles leaving home
Although Baldwin Police are claiming this is evidence clearing the assumption of kidnapping, the family isn't buying it.
"I think from their point is he's leaving by his own devices, and there's no commotion. Quawan left Baldwin without a struggle and I think that's what the intent behind the release of the video is. However we know that the Baldwin PD didn't have this video on October 30. Therefore to rely on the video today as though they knew about it October 30 is not genuine," Trichell added.
Iberia Parish is investigating Quawan's death as a homicide. So far, no suspects are in custody in connection to Quawan's case. With several missing pieces surrounding the 15-year-old's death, Trichell is asking for transparency from law enforcement.
"We don't mind the investigation being transparent. We have asked for that since the beginning. Let's open up the dialogue with the family and even the community. What we do not particularly appreciate is when pieces of evidence are disseminated little by little."
Trichell says the family was not consulted about the video being released; they question why other evidence can't be released as well.
The Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office has said they have video that shows Quawan alone in the area where his body was found.
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