Hmmmm ... Something just popped into my head that I haven't seen posted here before (but apologies in advance if it has and I missed it somewhere in the 147 different threads

).
Many threads ago I speculated that there could have been an argument in the car on the drive home from the airport -- possibly Dylan (being a normal teenager) was expressing his displeasure at being there by ignoring his father by playing on his phone (or simply ignoring his father in general because he didn't want to be there) -- and an argument ensued and the father snapped.
What if -- and I'm purely speculating here -- what if there was an argument, but instead of becoming physically violent, the father snapped, stopped the car, and told Dylan to get out, thinking he would "scare" him into an attitude adjustment. ("You don't want to be here? Then get out and go back to your mother!")
When he went back to get him, he was gone. And now he doesn't want to admit what he did.
Again, purely speculating and throwing out what might be a new idea.
ETA: Lest anyone misunderstand the intent of my words, telling a teenager to get out of the car at night in the winter is a violent act, imo, but different than direct physical violent contact. That's all I meant.