Wild conspiracy theory claims Brian Laundrie is hiding under a flower bed

Laundrie is being sought for questioning in Petito's disappearance and death. Photo / Instagram

Authorities in the US are searching far and wide for Brian Laundrie in relation to the death of his girlfriend Gabby Petito - but internet sleuths think they need not look much further than his parents' backyard.

TikTok users are peddling a theory that Laundrie is hiding under a flower bed in his parents' backyard in Florida, after claims drone footage captured a hand poking out of the soil.

The drone footage, which has been doing the rounds on social media this week, is being used as the base for the claim that Laundrie is hiding in some sort of bunker under the flower bed.

Many internet users believe they can see a hand poking out of the soil as a woman, resembling Brian's mother Roberta, leans over.

"There is definitely someone there. You cannot change my mind," one TikTok user, charlienovasite, said, alongside a video featuring zoomed-in portions of the drone footage.

"Brian is under the garden bed. Watch him hand his mother something," another TikTok user, mamabear_xo, posted.

Internet sleuths are calling on the FBI to search Laundrie's parents' house, just as his dad Chris joins the search for his son.

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A post shared by Brian Laundrie (@bizarre_design_)

"Chris Laundrie agrees to assist in the search for his son, Brian. Meanwhile Roberta Laundrie is busy as ever in the garden. Has the FBI checked the garden?" one person wrote alongside the video.

Multiple internet users have also tagged Dog the Bounty Hunter in the footage, urging him to go and look under the flower bed.

Other internet users believe the "hand" is nothing but a weed.

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A post shared by Gabby (@gabspetito)

"I can't believe people actually think Brian Laundrie is in a bunker under their flower bed. Realistically, who would coincidentally have an underground bunker in their backyard already OR be able to build one by the time they realised Gabby was missing?" one Twitter user wrote.

Laundrie has been missing since September 14, according to his parents.

Gabby Petito's body was found in Wyoming on September 19, nearly three weeks after Laundrie returned to Florida without her.