Overview
- The 7-year-old was abducted on Jan. 21 after getting off her school bus and was found early Jan. 22 at a truck stop near Albert Lea, where officers arrested a suspect and recovered the child alive.
- Sherburne County prosecutors charged Joseph Andrew Bragg with kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and authorities say he remains in custody.
- Investigators cited cellphone location data, a rental white Dodge Ram, hotel and rideshare records, and a targeted IPAWS/AMBER alert strategy in tracking the suspect.
- Through Eckberg Lammers, mother Mikailah Nelson thanked law enforcement and community searchers, with attorney Imran Ali representing the family pro bono and requesting privacy.
- An official GoFundMe to support recovery-related needs is active and undergoing verification, with reporting that donations have surpassed $10,000.