Parents’ fury over delay in reporting son missing

Parents’ Anger Over Two-Week Delay in Reporting Son’s Disappearance

The parents of a missing soldier expressed outrage over the Army’s failure to track him for two weeks, claiming this delay may have endangered his life. L/Cpl Ryan Rudd, 28, was last spotted at the New Inn in Selby on 15 February during a night out and did not return to his barracks at Catterick Garrison. It wasn’t until 1 March that Ken and Kerstin Rudd, from Pocklington, were informed by a senior officer about his absence. The couple said the two-week gap left them feeling powerless, as they only learned of the situation through a phone call.

Initial Contact and Army’s Response

Ken Rudd explained that when the officer called, they assumed their son had returned to base as usual. Shortly after, they reached out again to confirm he was missing and alerted the police. “It was awful,” Kerstin Rudd said. “Nobody had noticed he was gone for two weeks. It was shocking, we couldn’t believe it was happening.” The Army explained that roll calls—both physical and electronic—are used to check soldiers’ locations, but Rudd emphasized that Ryan wasn’t cross-checked for two consecutive Mondays.

“They should know where each soldier is, and he didn’t get cross-checked two Mondays in a row,” Ken added. “That put the police in an unfortunate situation of being two weeks behind in looking for my son.”

Theories About Ryan’s Disappearance

Kerstin Rudd suggested Ryan might have been with a friend from another unit, who was on a course for two weeks. She noted that their son had been denied entry to a second pub, raising questions about his whereabouts. “We don’t know if he contacted anyone to say he hadn’t had contact with Ryan,” she said. The couple insisted Ryan wouldn’t have left voluntarily. “It’s out of character for him,” Ken said. “He’s a soldier, he always comes home.”

Police and Army Statements

North Yorkshire Police stated they remained “open-minded” about Ryan’s disappearance but acknowledged the possibility he had entered the River Ouse. The Army confirmed in a statement that Rudd was reported missing to the police on 1 March 2026, with an investigation ongoing. “We are unable to offer further detail at this time,” the statement read. The family hopes sharing their account might trigger memories in Selby residents, aiding the search for clues about what occurred that night.