MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS: Former NFL player Sergio Brown, who had gone missing following the tragic discovery of his mother's body in a creek near their Illinois home, has seemingly reemerged in a bizarre video posted on Instagram.
The 35-year-old former New England Patriots safety, now believed to be no longer missing, made unsettling claims in the video, suggesting that he believed his mother, Myrtle Brown, was on vacation and that he had been kidnapped by law enforcement.
Sergio Brown appears in video
The video in question was shared on an Instagram Story from an account named "intplayerwithapassport," which appears to be associated with Sergio Brown. In the video, Brown addresses the news of his mother's tragic death after her body was found near the Addison Creek behind their home.
He states that he was under the impression that his mother was on vacation and accuses both the FBI and the Maywood Police Department of kidnapping him, although his words become increasingly incoherent as he speaks.
"They kidnapped me twice from home. The Maywood Police Department," he says in the video before descending into unintelligibility. "It had to be the FBI or the Maywood police. I thought my f–kin’ momma was on vacation."
The video was initially tagged with a location in Mexico City but was later deleted and reposted without a location, leaving his current whereabouts uncertain.
Erratic behavior preceding disappearance
Even before Sergio Brown and his mother disappeared, neighbors noticed his increasingly erratic behavior. Carlos Cortez, their neighbor, mentioned that he had observed unusual behavior from Brown for months.
The police became involved after spotting concerning activity on a Ring doorbell camera.
“They see him taking out the trash, and they see him have a bonfire where he burned all her clothes,” Cortez told CBS 2.
Cortez expressed that Sergio Brown's behavior had been consistently unusual lately, and he spoke with the relatives of the deceased woman who shared concerns about her son's mental state.
The Maywood Police Department is aware of the video shared by Brown on social media and is investigating its authenticity. Carmen Rivera, a public information officer from the Maywood Police Department, confirmed that Sergio Brown is still considered a missing person.
“Maywood Police Department detectives are aware of a video that has surfaced on social media in relation to Mr. Sergio Brown, who is still considered a missing person, and are also looking into its authenticity,” Rivera told the New York Post.
Speculation on possible causes
On social media, speculation arose about the possible causes of Brown's behavior, with some individuals suggesting a connection to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease commonly associated with repeated head trauma, often seen in athletes.
"Ummm curious, any history of concussion, mental illness, and or drug use?" one asked on X.
"I'm thinking CTE & mental health issues," another responded.
"This does seem to be a pattern among athletes who have committed violent crimes. His behavior could show violence, loss of memory, mood swings, and even paranoia. The CTE statistics for football players are extremely high," someone else offered.
"Yeah, nah, that ain't it. Drugs, CTE, both, or something going on," another chimed in.
Sergio Brown's professional NFL career spanned from 2010 to 2016, with appearances for the New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Buffalo Bills. Both he and his mother were reported missing by family members on Saturday, September 16, leading to a search effort in Maywood that ended tragically with the discovery of Myrtle Brown's body.
Although not named as a suspect in his mother's homicide, Sergio Brown remains connected to the ongoing investigation by the Maywood Police Department. The authorities have urged anyone with information regarding Sergio Brown's current whereabouts to contact their anonymous tip line at 708-450-1787 as the investigation continues.
