Arrests Made After Pair Hid Iredell Teen Runaway: Sheriff

IREDELL COUNTY, NC — Iredell County authorities have charged two Iredell County 19-year-olds for hiding a 16 year-old Statesville runaway last week, according to the sheriff’s office.

On May 14, Brianna Nicole West, 16, left her home in the 100 block of Chantilly Lane in Statesville on foot around 6:30 p.m. Later that same night, she was spotted getting into a friend's car at Beavers Store.

"Brianna may possibly be in the Cool Spring/ Harmony area," Iredell County Sheriff’s Office said at the time. She was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and black leggings. She is 5-foot tall, weighs about 120 pounds and has shoulder length red hair and blue eyes.

As part of their search for West, investigators interviewed witnesses, as well as her friends, including Katelan Lodemia Daugherty and Allen Michael Saxton, both 19 and of 131 Durand Lane in Statesville.

“Both of them told the investigators they did not know where Brianna was. Detectives reviewed camera footage from area businesses, and discovered Katelan Daugherty had picked Brianna up in a vehicle the day she was reported missing,” ICSO said in a statement about the arrests.

Deputies found West at the durand Lane home on Sunday.

“Detectives learned Daugherty, and Saxton had been helping Brianna hide while lying to detectives when they would come out to the residence,” ICSO said.

“These suspects, in addition to causing the missing girl’s family stress, and torment, have wasted detectives time, and taxpayers’ money by being deceitful and hiding this girl out for days,” Sheriff Darren Campbell said.

Daugherty and Saxton were arrested May 20 and both charged with charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Their secured bond was set at $25,000 each.

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