Brittney Stevens-15 yo-Marion NC

Local officers have issued a kidnapping charge against a Catawba County
man they say has taken a 15-year-old girl possibly to Chicago.
Laura
Beam of Stacy Hill Road reported late Saturday afternoon that her
niece, 15-year-old Brittney Paige Stevens, who lives with Beam, left
home between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and had not returned.
The teen is
believed to be in the company of Edgar Escalerra Soto, 24, of Hickory
in a 1991 white Chevrolet Silverado truck that was stolen in Catawba
County, according to Sgt. Dan Shook of the McDowell County Sheriff's
Office. The vehicle's tag number is TVE-6700. Shook said Catawba County
authorities have issued motor vehicle theft warrants against Soto.
The
teen is considered a runaway, Shook stated, having left the residence
with Soto of her own accord. However, due to her age, this is a
criminal case, and the sergeant has issued a warrant for Soto for
second-degree kidnapping.
"Soto is also believed to be an illegal alien," Shook stated.
He added that the two are possibly in the Chicago area.
Information about Stevens and Soto has been added to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Web site.
Detectives
with the McDowell County Sheriff's Office, agents with the N.C. State
Bureau of Investigation, members of the U.S. Marshals Services and
authorities in Chicago continue to examine the case.
Anyone with
information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 652-4000 or
McDowell County Crimestoppers at 65-CRIME. With Crimestoppers, your
identity remains anonymous, and you could receive a cash reward.

A Hickory man is charged with the kidnapping of a teenage girl from McDowell County.Police
say Edgar Escalerra Soto, 25, picked up a 15-year-old Brittany Paige
Stevens from her home in Marion on Saturday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Her aunt, Laura Beam, reported the girl missing Saturday afternoon.“We
believe they are in the Chicago area,” said Detective Sgt. Dan Shook
with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office. He would not elaborate on
why investigators believe the pair is in Chicago since it is crucial to
the case.

Shook said the teen is considered a runaway, since she left with
Soto willingly. However, Stevens’ age makes it a criminal case. Soto is
charged with second-degree kidnapping. Soto is believed to have
stolen a white 1991 Chevrolet Silverado truck in Catawba County with a
North Carolina plate and tag number TVE-6700, Shook said. Catawba
County authorities have issued a warrant for Soto for unauthorized use
of a motor vehicle. He said Soto and Stevens met through friends and may be romantically involved. “He is considered armed and dangerous,” Shook said. “He’s known to carry a handgun.” Soto’s
description and information has been entered into the National Crime
Information Center, accessed by law enforcement offices nationwide,
Shook said. Anyone with information should call the McDowell
County Sheriff’s Office at (828) 652-4000 or Crimestoppers at 65-CRIME,
where information can be given anonymously and potentially receive a
cash reward.

I sent this e-mail to the local reporter:


Hi
Richelle!

I work with a blog
devoted to helping return missing kids, Justice4Caylee.
(justice4caylee.forumotion.net)



Britt was removed from
the NCMEC website this morning without any explanation. What’s happening with
this mysterious case?


Her response :She and the
man she was with were located in Illinois Saturday.