His voice full of emotion, the son of the ex-head football coach who mysteriously vanished into woodland with a gun after being accused of child pornography offences, said the high school team’s win on Saturday was ‘bittersweet’ amid the ongoing search for his father.
Bailey Turner, 23, was fighting back tears as he steered away from the cheering and screaming of the Union High School Bears teenagers after their win against the Ridgeview High School Wolfpack.
The teams impressive 21-14 win means that they continue their unbeaten season – which started with Turner’s father Travis, 46, at the helm of the Virginia based team.
But the team was plunged into chaos after the father-of-three vanished on November 20 as Virginia State Police officers were about to swoop on his home in Appalachia, Virginia.
Turner has been the subject of a massive manhunt after his family confirmed that he left the property armed with a gun and walked into a ‘heavily wooded and mountainous area.’
Lawyers for his family stressed that at the point he left his home, Turner had no active warrants out for his arrest.
But authorities have since issued warrants for his arrest on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of soliciting a minor.
The emotional son of the ex-head football coach who mysteriously vanished after being accused of child pornography offences was seen for the first time on Saturday
Travis Turner is wanted on five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of using a computer to solicit a minor
Bailey Turner, 23, was present as the Union High School Bears continued their impressive year
Turners’ eldest son cut a lonely figure on the sidelines, keeping his composure as other members of the coaching team engaged with the crowd.
The former Bears quarterback, who graduated from the school in 2019, told Daily Mail that the win was ‘bittersweet’ for him and the family ‘appreciated the support’ they had been getting, but declined to comment further on his father’s disappearance.
Pictures obtained by Daily Mail show the 23-year-old celebrating with the team on the fringes and had to be encouraged to get in the team photo.
Dozens of fans asked him to pose for photos, with many hugging him and telling him the family was in their thoughts.
Following the final whistle, he took a step back and appeared to be fighting back tears as fellow coaches rushed the field.
The Bears are now set to face Glenvar in a Class 2 state semifinal Saturday, December 6. The state championship game is set for Saturday, December 13.
It is the first time a member of the family has been seen in public since the announcement of the charges, with Turner’s wife Leslie defending him when approached by the Daily Mail.
The revelation has left the local area in shock, with supporters at the game held at Bullitt Park telling the Daily Mail they were simply there to ‘support the team’.
One fan, who wished to remain anonymous said: ‘It’s a credit to the coaches that they have been able to keep the boys focused in the way they have despite everything going on.
Bailey was fighting back tears as he tried to keep a distance from the cheering and screaming
The former Bears quarterback, who works on his dad’s coaching staff, told Daily Mail that the win was ‘bittersweet’ for him on Saturday
He cut a lonely figure on the sidelines while keeping composure amid his personal anguish
A younger Travis Turner is seen alongside his wife, Leslie. The couple lives in Western Virginia
‘Everyone is here to support the team, and wants them to do well. It’s a tight knit community and this really hit everyone hard.
‘A lot of people have known the family for years, since Travis’ father coached the team and that makes it harder. It’s not something anyone wants to talk about, especially today.
‘Today is about the boys and the team doing their best’.
Since taking over at Union in 2011, Turner has twice been honored as Southwest Virginia Coach of the Year as his Bears established themselves as a regional power.
Other members of the coaching staff declined to speak about the ongoing search for Turner, but interim head coach Jay Edwards told media that the team was focused on moving on to state regardless of the situation.
Law enforcement and the Wise School District have remained tight lipped about the probe into Turner, with sources telling the Daily Mail that they have been told not to leak any details about the case.
Earlier in the week, a spokesman for Wise County Public Schools, which oversees Union High, said the district is aware of the charges and, without naming Turner, declined further comment.
‘The individual remains on leave and is not permitted on school property or to have contact with students,’ read a statement.
However, just days later, Union High School – where Turner had worked since 2011 before going on the run – have removed his profile from their website.
As per their website, the only ‘Turner’ currently listed as a member of staff is Travis’ son Bailey.
In the wake of Turner’s scandal, it emerged that he is not the first coach at the school to be accused of such crimes, after Timothy Lee Meador was jailed two years ago.
Meador – then a teacher at the school in Big Stone Gap, Virginia – was arrested and charged on one count of child solicitation and two counts of indecent liberties.
According to the Commonwealth’s Attorney, he later pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child and served one year and three months in prison.
It is the first time a family member has been seen since the announcement of the charges
Hundreds of fans were in attendance as the Union Bears defeated the Ridgeview Wolfpack
Bailey was able to carry out his coaching duties despite the drama surrounding his father
He stressed that he ‘appreciates the support’ after helping the team secure a victory
Meador, now 30, was immediately banned from the school and remains active on the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry.
Incredibly, a third high school employee in the same Wise County School System was also arrested and charged earlier this year on three counts of carnal knowledge and one count of taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial/supervisory relationship.
Tyler Jay Tibbs, 28, who worked at Coeburn Middle School – a short 25-minute drive from Union High School – was arrested in August, before being taken to Southwest Virginia Regional Jail.
It was later reported that he was bonded out of Duffield Regional Jail on a $25,000 bond, and the investigation into his alleged crimes is believed to be ongoing.
The removal of Turner’s profile comes after Turner’s wife exclusively told the Daily Mail that the child porn charges against her husband are untrue.
At the couple’s home in Appalachia, Turner’s paralegal wife Leslie, also 46, said she had no knowledge of her husband’s alleged inappropriate contact with minors.
‘I don’t know anything. I don’t know anything. I’m sorry,’ she said.
When asked about the child porn charges for which police are seeking Turner, Leslie rose to her husband’s defense: ‘None of that is true. He’s a good dad and a good husband and we want him home. That’s it.’
She added that it remains a difficult time for the family as police continue to search for Turner, who vanished late last week.
‘We are all just hanging in there until we get news,’ she said.
Cops continue to hunt for missing Turner, with a spokesman for the family clearing up the timeline of his disappearance.
Turner’s wife Leslie told the Daily Mail the child porn charges against her husband are untrue
Turner disappeared as special agents from the Virginia Bureau of Criminal Investigation traveled to his home as part of their investigation. They were not on their way to arrest him.
A statement released by the family’s attorney, Adrian Collins, read: ‘On behalf of the family of Travis Turner, I wish to express their sincere gratitude to all who have shown concern during this difficult time.
‘The last known contact the family had with Travis occurred on or about Thursday, November 20, after he left his residence to walk in the woods with a firearm. He is believed to have entered a heavily wooded and mountainous area. At which point, no warrants had been issued for his arrest.
‘When Travis did not return home that evening, his wife promptly notified local law enforcement. She was advised that a missing-person report could not be taken until at least 24 hours had passed.
‘The following day, she filed a missing-person report with the Virginia State Police. The family has cooperated fully with law-enforcement in their ongoing efforts to locate Travis.
‘Family members and friends have also conducted search efforts in the surrounding woods. These efforts have been limited by weather conditions and with respect for the official operations underway.’
Police have been utilizing search and rescue teams, drones and even K9 units to track down Turner after they were unable to locate him following his disappearance.
He remains listed as a missing person on the Virginia State Police website.
