Jaime Dugan, the former Survivor contestant sought by authorities in connection with her teenage son’s disappearance, has spoken publicly for the first time in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail.
An arrest warrant was issued for the 41-year-old in South Carolina after she did not return her son, Harper, to his father, Erik Huffman, in August as required.
Dugan and Huffman, who appeared together on Survivor in 2007 before marrying, finalized a contentious and highly public divorce in 2024. Huffman was subsequently granted custody of Harper.
Huffman, 45, told the Daily Mail on Sunday that he was worried about Dugan’s mental health and feared for their son’s wellbeing.
Dugan, however, said in a separate interview on Monday that she and Harper were safe and were not trying to evade authorities.
“My cell phone is on, and I’m not hiding my location,” Dugan said by phone. “There has been a lot going on, but I am definitely not on the run.”
She said she had kept Harper from returning to his father because the teenager was frightened about going back to live with or be around his paternal family.
Dugan then passed the phone to her 16-year-old son, who told the Daily Mail: “I am happy and finally safe.”
The FBI is investigating the whereabouts of 41-year-old Dugan and her son Harper
Dugan said she was keeping Harper safe but declined to reveal their location
Dugan would not disclose where she and Harper were staying. Authorities, meanwhile, have classified the teenager as “missing and endangered.”
She maintained that she was acting to protect Harper, whom she described as “traumatized” by the events surrounding the custody dispute. Dugan also said she planned to challenge the court order requiring her to hand him over to Huffman.
“There’s a lot more to the story. I’m just doing what I can do to protect my son,” she said.
The Daily Mail said it had notified police that its reporters had spoken with both Dugan and Harper.
The latest chapter in the family dispute began on August 30, when Dugan was expected to return Harper after a scheduled weekend visit.
According to a report from the Cayce Police Department, a dispute broke out when Dugan attempted to bring Harper back to his father. Officers were called to the planned custody exchange.
Body-camera video captured Dugan speaking with officers at about 6:30 p.m. That was the last confirmed sighting of her by law enforcement or members of the Huffman family.
An emergency family-court hearing took place on September 15, with court records indicating that Dugan participated remotely.
Dugan was last seen by Huffman and police on August 30 during a scheduled custody handoff
Dugan and Huffman appeared together on Survivor in 2007
Huffman (pictured) and Dugan began dating shortly after the season ended and were married two years later
Judge M Todd Thigpen ordered her to appear in person with Harper on September 18.
Three days later, in an order obtained by the Daily Mail, Thigpen found Dugan in direct contempt, suspended her visitation rights and ordered her immediate arrest.
The judge declared Harper ‘missing and endangered’ and authorized law enforcement officers across South Carolina to take Dugan into custody.
The Daily Mail previously confirmed that the FBI became involved in efforts to locate mother and son.
But Dugan has fiercely disputed the characterization that she has taken Harper and disappeared, and claimed the FBI has not once reached out to her about Harper.
‘My cell phone is on, I am reachable. I have not heard from the FBI on this, not even once,’ Dugan said, sharing dozens of screenshots to indicate that she has been in contact with Huffman during the month of September.
While Dugan claimed she had not heard from the FBI, she also claimed Harper has had contact with law enforcement since remaining with her and claimed that the teenager has spoken with four different police officers.
Harper, has not been seen by his father or other family members since August 30
Harper had a stable routine and was ‘coming into his own’ living with his father, according to Huffman
Dugan also disputed the circumstances surrounding the court proceedings as well, saying she had not been properly served and challenging the legal basis for the action being taken against her.
Dugan has begun publicly posting documents and allegations surrounding the custody dispute on her Instagram account, which the Daily Mail has been unable to verify.
Central to Dugan’s explanation for keeping Harper with her are serious allegations the teenager has made against his father and paternal grandmother.
A Beaufort Police Department report obtained by the Daily Mail detailed Harper claiming to an officer on August 30 that he had been sexually assaulted by his paternal grandmother two days earlier.
The officer directed Dugan to contact the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the alleged incident and advised her to ensure that the Department of Social Services was notified.
The investigation is currently ongoing, and Huffman and his family strongly deny the allegations.
Huffman told the Daily Mail on Monday that Dugan has repeatedly made accusations against him and his family, characterizing them as attacks made during the couple’s bitter custody battle.
He described his ex-wife as a ‘master manipulator’ and accused her of weaponizing their son against him and his family.
‘She has no interest in Harper’s wellbeing,’ Huffman claimed. ‘It’s all about winning.’
The reality-show sweethearts married in 2009 and welcomed Harper the following year
Dugan, 41, pictured with her father and a younger Harper
Erik Huffman told the Daily Mail on Sunday that his son’s safety is his top priority
The former couple’s relationship began under dramatically different circumstances.
Although they grew up just 25 miles apart in South Carolina, they did not meet until both were cast on Survivor: China in 2007.
They became close while competing as members of the same starting tribe and began dating after filming ended.
The reality-show sweethearts married in 2009 after winning an $80,000 dream wedding from the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and welcomed Harper the following year.
Huffman went on to work as a physician assistant while Dugan built a sizeable social-media following, at one point becoming known online as the ‘Charleston Blonde.’
Their marriage eventually collapsed into an extraordinarily contentious separation and divorce.
Following an eight-day divorce trial, Huffman was awarded custody of Harper while Dugan received every-other-weekend visitation.
When the Daily Mail first spoke with Huffman about his son’s whereabouts, he said Harper had been thriving before he disappeared from his custody.
‘Harper’s safety and wellbeing is my top priority right now, and getting him back safely is extremely important,’ Huffman said.
‘I’ve made it my own investigation to try to get answers. It’s been a logistical nightmare. It’s been stressful and it’s been tough. I’m very worried about my son.’