Authorities are now “investigating if there are other victims out there.”
A missing 19-year-old college student in the US was found alive in a coal storage area of her accused kidnapper’s home.
39-year-old Brent Brown, of Wayne County, Utah, has been arrested on suspicion of obstruction of justice and rape after police tracked down Madelyn Allen to his residence days after her roommates reported her missing.
Allen, who had last been seen leaving her dorm at Snow College in Ephraim on December 13, was found completely covered in coal at the home.
According to the Salt Lake Tribune, police traced Allen’s phone to the town of Loa and began door-to-door inquiries.
ABC4 reports that officers looked through the basement window of one home and saw a fair-haired person with a slight build, though the homeowner told officers he was alone.
Police later searched the residence and found the teen in a coal storage area, according to ABC4.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Snow College Police Chief Derek Walk said it was not yet known “how extensive [Brown’s] relationship or [Allen’s] knowledge of him is thus far.”
Allen’s father Jonathan said at the conference that he and his wife Tanya dropped to their knees when they heard their daughter had been found alive.
“We are so excited to have our Maddie home,” Tanya added. “We love her so much and she has been such a light and a joy in our lives.
“We are so grateful that we can continue our lives together with her. And it took the effort of so many and we’re so grateful.”
Jacob Allen, the student’s uncle, told People the family is “incredibly relieved” she was found and that they were grateful for “the wonderful investigative efforts that went into that”.
“There is a long road to recovery especially given what has happened to Maddie as a victim and a survivor,” he said.
Brown remains in custody and has not yet been formally charged.
Sanpete County Attorney Kevin L. Daniels told People an investigation was underway and that authorities are also “investigating if there are other victims out there.”
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