Man Charged with Kidnapping 7-Year-Old Girl in Sherburne County, Assaulting Her in Plymouth Hotel Room
A disturbing incident has shaken the community of Zimmerman, Minnesota, after a 7-year-old girl was abducted from her bus stop and sexually assaulted at a hotel in Plymouth. Joseph Andrew Bragg, 28, of International Falls, Minnesota, has been charged with kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual assault of a child in connection with the crime.
According to the charges, the girl’s disappearance led to a large-scale search effort in near-zero-degree weather, with an Amber Alert issued after investigators determined she was likely taken by a stranger. Bragg and the girl were eventually located in Albert Lea, Minnesota, over 130 miles south of the abduction site, and the girl was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Joseph Andrew Bragg (Courtesy of the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigation and Arrest
The investigation into the girl’s disappearance revealed that Bragg had contacted the girl’s mother through Facebook, asking her questions about herself and her children. The mother had blocked Bragg on Facebook after becoming uncomfortable with his interactions. Law enforcement was able to track Bragg’s movements using location data from his cellphone and identified him as a suspect in the girl’s disappearance.
Bragg was arrested after a traffic stop in Albert Lea, where he was found to be driving a white pickup truck matching the suspect’s vehicle. The girl was found in the backseat of the truck, and Bragg was taken into custody. He is being held on $4 million bail and has not yet entered a plea.
Importance of Child Safety
The incident highlights the importance of parents talking to their children about strangers and the dangers of abduction. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, emphasized the need for parents to have open and honest conversations with their children about safety. “It’s a good reminder at this point in time,” he said. “Luckily, we have a child that’s alive today. … But we want to also make sure we’re reinforcing that with our children — unless the parent specifically is the one telling them to go with that person, that they do not get in a vehicle with that person.”
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