Minnesota man charged with kidnapping 7-year-old Brynlee Nelson

A 28-year-old Minnesota man, Joseph Bragg, has been charged in the kidnapping of 7-year-old Brynlee Nelson in Zimmerman, police announced on Thursday. The girl was found after an hours-long search.

Brynlee was kidnapped just before 4 p.m. on Wednesday after getting off a school bus in the 26000 block of 13th Street West in Zimmerman, in Sherburne County, about 33 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Her family reported her missing at 6:30 p.m., prompting a massive search effort in the surrounding area. A black car initially believed to have followed the school bus was later determined not to be involved.

Commander Ben Zawacki, of the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, said an amber alert was issued at 11:40 p.m. after information was developed that indicated Brynlee had likely been abducted.

“Through investigation and use of technology, investigators identified a white Dodge Ram pickup as a suspect vehicle and issued an emergency alert to law enforcement agencies at 12:38 a.m. today,” Zawacki said.

Less than 30 minutes later, officers in Freeborn County, south of Minneapolis, located the vehicle and found Brynlee with the suspect, who was identified as 28-year-old Joseph Andrew Bragg, who has no known permanent address.

Bragg was booked on kidnapping charges but specific details about the allegations against him were not immediately released. There was no word on a possible motive.

“We want to thank the numerous law enforcement and first responders who assisted in the search,” the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “We also want to thank the hundreds of volunteers who came out to assist in the search.”