Batesville, Arkansas – A husband and wife from Arkansas are being held on $1 million bond after authorities arrested them in connection with the reported kidnapping of a 12-year-old girl from South Carolina.
The Independence County Sheriff’s Office said 31-year-old Brandon Britten and his wife, 28-year-old Sierra Dawn Britten, were arrested Wednesday, Sept. 9. Both are facing kidnapping allegations tied to an investigation that began in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.
According to the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the 12-year-old was reported missing on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Investigators later learned that the girl had been seen entering a vehicle belonging to Brandon Britten.
South Carolina authorities said Britten had allegedly groomed the child online through social media. The information prompted investigators to look into the child’s movements and identify the vehicle connected to the case.
As the investigation continued, Spartanburg County deputies contacted the Independence County Sheriff’s Office in Arkansas. They asked local deputies to conduct a welfare check at a home associated with the vehicle.
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Independence County deputies went to the residence and found the girl, according to authorities. She was later reunited with her parents on Thursday, Sept. 10.
The recovery of the child brought an important development in the investigation, but authorities continued pursuing criminal charges against the Arkansas couple.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office said warrants have been signed against both Brandon Britten and Sierra Dawn Britten on kidnapping charges. The couple’s bond was set at $1 million.
Authorities have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the girl’s disappearance or how long she may have been in Arkansas. The investigation remains connected to the original missing-person report in South Carolina.
The case involved cooperation between law enforcement agencies in two states. South Carolina investigators provided information about the missing girl and the vehicle, while deputies in Independence County carried out the welfare check that led to her recovery.
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Officials have not indicated whether further charges could be filed as the investigation continues. The allegations against the Brittens have not been proven in court, and both defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty.
The girl’s return to her parents on Sept. 10 marked the latest development in a case that began with a missing-child report in Spartanburg County two days earlier. Investigators are expected to continue examining the online contact, the vehicle and the events that led the girl to the Arkansas residence.
