Disappearance of Edward and Austin Bryant

Edward Dylan Bryant (born May 1992) and Austin Eugene Bryant (born January 1996) are missing people from Monument, Colorado, United States. Edward and Austin are biological siblings who were adopted by Edward Eugene Bryant and Linda Bryant in March 2000. During the investigation, authorities discovered that Edward Dylan was also unaccounted for, having last been seen in 2001. In February 2011, Edward Eugene and Linda Bryant, legally separated by that time, Authorities have stated that the elder Bryants were entitled to receive government payments to support the boys because they are considered "special needs children". A missing person report was never filed for either boy, and the Bryants allegedly continued to collect $1,700 per month in government payments for the boys, even after they moved to the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area in 2005.<ref nameKKTV /> Authorities in Colorado and Texas do not believe the boys were with the family when they moved to Texas.<ref nameDentonR-C /><ref name=KKTV />
Investigators found that Austin was enrolled in Monument-area schools in 2001, but was withdrawn in 2003, purportedly to be home schooled.<ref name=KKTV /> They also determined that there was "some activity" in Edward Dylan's Medicaid account in 2003, but have been unable to find a trace of him after that.<ref nameChiTrib /> The elder Bryants, meanwhile, both told authorities that the boys ran away, but gave conflicting accounts on when they allegedly did so, with Linda claiming both ran away in 2003 and Edward Eugene claiming that Edward Dylan ran away in 2001 and Austin in 2003.<ref nameKKTV />
The elder Bryants were arrested on February 25, 2011 on charges of welfare fraud. The criminal complaint charges that the Bryants continued to collect government payments from Colorado, even though they knew Edward Dylan and Austin were no longer living with them.<ref name=KKTV /> At the time of their arrests, the Bryants were separated, with Edward Eugene living in Denton, Texas, and Linda living in Lake Kiowa, Texas. Five adopted children, including the missing boys' biological brother, were found living with Linda Bryant.<ref nameChiTrib /> As of March 11, 2011, the Bryants have not been charged in the boys' disappearance, and authorities have focused their efforts on finding the missing boys.<ref nameChiTrib /> Additionally, authorities have not publicly declared if they are treating the investigation as a homicide.<ref name=CSGazz />

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