ORLANDO, Fla — The 2022 Special Olympics kicked off on June 5 in the Orlando area, welcoming more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from across the United States and the Caribbean.
But, a mystery has taken center stage. Six members of the Haitian delegation were missing from the event on June 6, and a seventh delegate was reported missing Monday.
Not much is known about the whereabouts of the seven delegates. Below is the timeline of what we have learned so far.
June 5
The first day of the 2022 Special Olympics. Members of the Haitian delegation are set to compete in the soccer competition of the Games.
June 6
Antione Mithon, 32, Nicholson Fontilus, 20, Peter Berlus, 19, Anderson Petit-Frere, 18, Steevenson Jacquet, 24, and Oriol Jean, 18 — all from Haiti — reportedly turned in their hotel room keys; leaving behind their belongings. They were last seen around 2:30 p.m. near South Victory Way at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where some of the competitions are being held, according to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
June 7
The sheriff’s office reports the six delegates as missing. The office announced it is communicating with Walt Disney World, the Special Olympics and law enforcement for the active investigation on the missing delegates. Additionally, the office reports no foul play is suspected, and it believes this to be an isolated event. Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office.
The Special Olympics releases a statement saying the delegation’s reason for departure is unknown. It also clarified that five of the six delegates are not Special Olympics athletes. One is an adult with an intellectual disability.
Days pass with no updates on the missing delegates.
June 11
Seventh delegate Louis Jacques Wilguens, 25, was seen at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday getting off a bus at Disney’s All-Star Sports Resort. He was wearing red sandals, blue jeans and a white Special Olympics shirt with Haiti written on it.
June 12
Wilguens was scheduled to fly back to Haiti early in the morning.
June 13
A week after the original six Haitian delegates were reported missing, deputies announce they are searching for Wilguens. They ask anyone who sees Wilguens or makes contact with him to call the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office at 407-348-2222 or dial 911 in reference to case #22I062366.
10 Tampa Bay asks the sheriff's office to explain further what was meant by "no foul play" and whether investigators believe the delegates are staying in the U.S. of their own free will.
“This in an active and ongoing investigation. No update is available at this time," the agency told us.