The grandmother of Bryson Muir, a 14-year-old who has been missing for over two weeks and is feared to be suffering abuse at the hands of his ex-NFL player father, has come forward with her concerns after she reported seeing her grandson with a black eye the last time he was spotted, with disturbing photos emerging of his condition.
Bryson, who became the focus of an Indiana State Police Silver Alert last Friday, hasn’t been seen for 16 days since being in Ohio. His dad, former Colts defensive lineman Daniel Muir, has become a person of interest as he’s not been forthcoming with the authorities regarding his son’s whereabouts.
“It is a very difficult situation,” Cheryl Wright expressed. “We’re all very sick about him. It hurts my heart.”
Wright, who is Bryson’s grandmother, alerted the police to the possible mistreatment Bryson was enduring just moments before he vanished from sight, save for his parents. She suspects that Bryson was physically harmed by his father, Daniel, and that her grandson has been “brainwashed” into adopting the Muir family’s way of life within a large religious community compound in Logansport, reports FOX59.
Wright’s last encounter with Bryson was on June 16, as he departed her residence near Cleveland, Ohio, accompanied by his mother, Kristen Muir, in a white 2015 Chevrolet Suburban. “He was here for two days, Thursday evening to Sunday morning,” recounted Wright. “His mom came to get him. I didn’t want to let him go.”
The boy’s grandmother informed the police that the child had a black eye and raised concerns about potential abuse by his parents. She even captured a photograph of Bryson.
“His face was battered. When I got him he had a black eye and busted lip,” Wright recounted. “His whole face was swollen. I can only imagine how many times he had been hit in the face for it to be like that.”
Wright disclosed to FOX59/CBS4 that Bryson claimed it was his father, Daniel, who was responsible for the black eye. The boy didn’t share with his grandmother what caused the altercation and was reluctant to discuss the incident, prompting her to contact the authorities.
“I didn’t want to let him go,” Wright expressed. “I tried to call the police because he had been abused. It hurts me that anyone could be beaten like that. It hurts me that my daughter would allow anyone to do that to her child.”
ISP Capt Ron Galaviz commented on the rapid sequence of events, saying, “It was minutes, it wasn’t a very long period of time whatsoever,” Despite the swift response, Bryson was nowhere to be found in his mother’s Suburban when the police stopped her vehicle.
Wright shared that she received an explanation from the police regarding her grandson’s whereabouts. “The officers believe that he had probably been switched into another car,” Wright said, as the investigation into the parents continued.
Two days after the incident, the Cass County Department of Child Services requested assistance from ISP officers to investigate claims of domestic battery involving Bryson at a residence in Logansport, as they were unable to contact the family. Despite several attempts by ISP to reach the Muir family at their home on the 1700 block of West US 24 in Logansport since Thursday, there had been no success.
On June 27, Capt. Galaviz announced that detectives had finally made contact with Daniel and Kristen Muir, who appeared to be “beginning to cooperate” with the ISP’s probe.
Yet, Bryson’s whereabouts remained unknown. The child’s grandmother expressed her concern on Monday, saying, “Bryson is so conditioned or brainwashed to their way of living that he wanted to go back,” recounting how he fled when she attempted to persuade her daughter to leave.
ISP issued a Silver Alert for Bryson last Friday afternoon, affirming that he is still missing and believed to be in danger. According to police, Daniel and Kristen Muir had consented to bring Bryson to meet with ISP detectives at the Peru Post, with a meeting planned for 12 pm on Friday, as per ISP.
Nevertheless, around 11 am, the Muirs unexpectedly “backed out” of the meeting, leading ISP to conclude a lack of cooperation from the parents. “He is our primary concern, his well-being and safety are of utmost importance,” stated ISP Capt. Ron Galaviz.
There are also suggestions of possible cult connections to the property in Logansport. The Muir’s Logansport property, according to State Police, is owned by the Servant Leader’s Foundation, a non-profit religious organization. The Chevy Suburban that Kristen Muir was driving also belongs to the Servant Leader’s Foundation.
FOX59/CBS4 teams recently visited the home, which is nestled off a secluded two-lane road in rural Logansport and primarily surrounded by trees. A lengthy gravel driveway near the road is blocked by a fence adorned with numerous no-trespassing and private property signs.
There are no signs outside the house bearing the name Servant Leader’s Foundation. However, just beyond the fence, there’s a sign that reads “Welcome To Straitway Indiana Goshen.” A crest on the sign features an “S” on a shield with two swords forming an X behind the shield.
A Google search for Straitway will direct you to Straitway Truth Ministries, a Tennessee-based religious group that some online have branded as a cult. According to the Straitway Truth Ministries website, the group identifies itself as a “nation of Hebrew Israelites who are commandment keepers; obedient to Yah (God) and our savior, Jesus the Christ.”
Straitway’s official YouTube page showcases a video posted four months ago featuring a man who seems to be former Colts defensive tackle Daniel Muir preaching from a stage to an enthusiastic crowd.
In the video, Muir displays a photo of himself and fellow former Colts defensive end Robert Mathis while discussing a place named Goshen. Bryson is described by ISP as a 6’2, 185-pound Black male with black hair and brown eyes. The child was last seen with a black eye and wearing an orange Under Armor shirt and blue jeans.
Police are urging anyone with information on Bryson’s whereabouts or his parents to contact the Indiana State Police Peru post at (800) 382-0689 or call 911. No other information has been provided by ISP as of 3:15 pm Monday. No arrests have been made.
