Parents’ fury over delay in reporting son missing
Parents’ Anger Over Army’s Delay in Reporting Son Missing
Concerns Raised About Two-Week Gap in Tracking
Ken and Kerstin Rudd, parents of missing soldier L/Cpl Ryan Rudd, have expressed frustration over the Army’s failure to report their son’s absence for two weeks. The couple claims this delay may have cost Ryan his life, as they only learned of his disappearance when contacted by a senior officer on 1 March 2026.
“We were shocked when we found out nobody had noticed he was missing for two weeks. It was awful,” Kerstin Rudd said.
Ryan, 28, was last seen on 15 February at the New Inn in Selby during a night out with friends. He did not return to his barracks at Catterick Garrison. The Army has since stated an investigation is ongoing, working alongside North Yorkshire Police to locate him.
Ken Rudd, a former soldier, explained that he and his wife initially assumed Ryan had gone back to base. “They should know where every soldier is, but he didn’t get cross-checked two Mondays in a row,” he added, criticizing the Army’s tracking system.
“Two weeks behind in looking for my son,” Ken said, describing the situation as “unfortunate.”
The couple believes Ryan’s disappearance was not voluntary. “It’s out of character for him,” Ken stated. “He’s a soldier—always comes home, no matter how far he goes.” Kerstin noted Ryan had no reason to vanish and was “enjoying it in the Army.”
They suspect something happened that night, though they remain uncertain whether it was accidental or intentional. “If there had been any evidence, it might have been washed away by rain or other factors,” Kerstin said, emphasizing the impact of the delay.
Police Remain Open-Minded About Disappearance
North Yorkshire Police have indicated they are still considering multiple scenarios, including the possibility that Ryan entered the River Ouse. In a statement, the Army confirmed Ryan was reported missing on 1 March and described the collaboration with police as “key to the investigation.”
“We can confirm L/Cpl Ryan Rudd was reported missing to North Yorkshire Police on 1 March 2026. An investigation is under way, and we are working with the police who are leading this,” the Army said.
The couple hopes sharing their story will help jog memories. “If someone in Selby was around at the time and hadn’t heard Ryan was missing, even a small detail could help,” Kerstin added, urging community support in the search.
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, and catch up with the latest episode of Look North for updates on the case.
