Courtesy of Schmidt and Petito family
- The family of missing Gabby Petito said her fiancé is refusing to help them find her.
- Brian Laundrie "is refusing to tell Gabby's family where he last saw her," a family statement reads.
- Petito, 22, was reported missing by her family on September 11.
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The family of Gabby Petito who went missing during a cross-country road trip said Tuesday that the young New York woman's fiancé is refusing to help them find her, begging him to "at least tell us if we are looking in the right area."
Petito, 22, and Brian Laundrie set out on a cross-country journey in a white converted camper van from New York on July 2, her family has said.
Her family reported her missing on September 11. Laundrie recently returned alone with the van to his parents' home in North Port, Florida, where he and Petito had been living, police have said.
"Brian is refusing to tell Gabby's family where he last saw her. Brian is also refusing to explain why he left Gabby all alone and drove her van to Florida," Petito's family said in a statement through their attorney Richard Stafford.
"These are critical questions that require immediate answers," the family said.
Petito's family released the statement shortly after Laundrie's attorney, Steven Bertolino, broke the Laundrie family's silence, saying "This is understandably an extremely difficult time for both the Petito family and the Laundrie family."
"On the advice of counsel, the Laundrie family is remaining in the background at this juncture and will have no further comment," the statement read.
Petito's family said in their statement that they "beg the Laundrie family to not 'remain in the background,' but to help find who Brian referred to as the love of his life."
"How does Brian stay in the background when he is the one person that knows where Gabby is located?" Petito's family said. "The Schmidt and Petito family implore Brian to come forward and at least tell us if we are looking in the right area."
They added, "The Schmidt and Petito family are going through the worst moments of their lives. Their beautiful twenty-two year old daughter is missing and the one person that can help find Gabby refuses to help."
Petito's last known location is believed to be in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park.
"Brian Laundrie was traveling with Gabby in the Grand Teton - Yellowstone area," Petito's family said. "They were traveling together in Gabby's 2012 Ford Transit van. That is where we believe Gabby was last seen."
Police in Florida have seized the van and a spokesman for the North Port Police Department told Insider the vehicle "could be a key piece of evidence" in the case.
The police spokesman, Josh Taylor, also told Insider Laundrie's family has refused to let him speak with investigators.