Maple Grove, Minnesota Man Arrested in Abduction of 7-Year-Old Girl in Zimmerman
JOSEPH ANDREW BRAGG, A Maple Grove, Minnesota man has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a 7-year-old Zimmerman girl after authorities located the child inside his vehicle following an AMBER Alert.
Minnesota officials said Joseph Andrew Bragg, 28, was taken into custody by Albert Lea police after missing child Brynlee Nelson was found in his car on Interstate 35 just after 1 a.m. Thursday. Bragg was later booked into the Freeborn County Jail, where he was charged with kidnapping.
The investigation began Wednesday evening after Brynlee Nelson was reported missing from her family’s home in Zimmerman. An AMBER Alert was issued around 4:30 p.m., stating that the 7-year-old had last been seen getting off her school bus at approximately 3:30 p.m. before entering a black sedan with unknown license plates.
The alert described Brynlee as having blonde hair, weighing about 70 pounds, and wearing a black jacket, blue snow pants, white boots, a pink Nike hoodie, black fuzzy pants underneath, and a gray-and-white hat. She was also reported to be carrying a backpack with multiple keychains.
ABC News 6 reported that Brynlee was taken to the Mayo Clinic in Albert Lea for medical evaluation after being found. Authorities confirmed she was later reunited with her family.
Following Bragg’s arrest, community members raised concerns about his online activity. Multiple reports indicated that Bragg had been active for nearly a year in local babysitting and childcare Facebook groups, often responding to posts from parents seeking childcare and volunteering to watch children, including infants. One post previously shared by Affordable Babysitters of Minnesota welcomed Joseph Bragg as a new group member.
A review of Bragg’s social media accounts showed that he listed employment at a hospital and had photos featuring children, though authorities have not clarified the relationship between Bragg and the children shown in those images.
It was also reported that Bragg allegedly communicated with Brynlee’s mother through a dating app prior to the abduction, despite the two never having met in person.
A relative of Brynlee, Kaytelyyn Fish, shared an emotional message online confirming the child had been found and warning others to be cautious with social media, dating platforms, and online interactions. The relative stated that the suspect had shown interest in the family and had allegedly been stalking them before the incident.
The case remains under active investigation, and police have not released additional details at this time.
