A tense and heartbreaking search for 7-year-old Brynlee Nelson ended in relief on January 22, 2026, when she was found safe in a vehicle following an AMBER Alert issued by the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office. The young girl had been missing since getting off her school bus in the afternoon on January 21, when she disappeared without a trace.

At around 3:55 p.m. that day, Brynlee was last seen at the bus stop. Authorities immediately began investigating her disappearance and were alerted to a black vehicle following the bus. It was initially unclear whether the vehicle was connected to Brynlee’s abduction, but the possibility caused growing concern throughout the community.

By the early hours of January 22, 2026, around 12:34 a.m., the situation took a critical turn. Albert Lea Police received a report of a vehicle traveling south on Interstate 35, potentially linked to the missing child. Officers responded swiftly, pulling the car over. Inside, they found Brynlee and arrested 28-year-old Joseph Andrew Bragg from Maple Grove.

Bragg is now in custody at the Sherburne County Jail, facing pending charges. Authorities have yet to release further details regarding the nature of the abduction or the charges he will face, but the investigation is ongoing.