Overview of Brittany Robinson
Was Brittany Robinson a victim of parental kidnapping?
14 year old Brittany Shante Robinson is a true southern young lady, kind and intelligent, with a love for seafood boils, barbecue, and above all else, family. Her warm and friendly personality led her to befriend everyone she met. Those who know her portray her as a shy but outspoken girl; one who stood firm in her beliefs and would not back down. Her mother, Tiana Hogue, recalled Brittany’s principal commenting that she had a smile that would light up the halls, and that all of her teachers adored her. Brittany cared dearly for her family, especially her mother and grandmother. Tiana called Brittany her "little nurse," recalling when she became ill that Brittany wanted to learn the names of each of the medications and how often she needed to take them, often asking, "Mama, did you take your medicine?" or reminding her, "Mama, don't forget your medicine." When asked about Brittany’s hobbies and favorite things to do, her mother Tiana immediately responded with her love of reading. “She loved to read. When I say loved to read, her face was always planted in a book. She always excelled three or more levels above her grade in reading.”
“She also enjoyed drawing, running, and her favorite colors were pink and blue. There was also a silly side to Brittany, one that was always laughing and always smiling.”
The day she was last seen.
On the morning of June 14, 2012, Tiana took Brittany to her maternal grandmother’s home to wait for her aunt Sierra Hooper to collect her for her weekend visit with her father, Demetric Hooper.
“She walked out the door, she came back in and gave me a hug and said, ‘I’ll see you later.’ She was supposed to be gone for two days and I haven’t seen her since.” -Tiana Hogue to Fox10 two years after Brittany’s disappearance.
Tiana was expecting Brittany to return home on June 18th, but she never arrived. Initially, Tiana didn’t think anything was wrong, since she was with her father. By June 20th, however, Tiana began to worry when Demetric texted her to say he would have Brittany home in an hour, and three hours later she still hadn’t returned. Tiana attempted to call Demetric, but instead of answering, he responded with another text saying they were at a wedding party and would be there shortly. After that, Demetric stopped communicating with Tiana.
At this point, Tiana started to become seriously concerned for Brittany’s safety. After making several phone calls to members of Demetric’s family, Tiana - along with Demetric’s landlord and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office - went to his home on McCovery Road Extension, only to find no one home and no evidence that Brittany had been there. Tiana immediately filed a missing person report with the Mobile Police Department. “I thought I could trust him regarding her. Never in a million years would I think this would be my situation.” -Tiana Hogue While searching for Brittany, Tiana discovered that Demetric had been implicated in a similar case in 2004, involving the abduction of one of his other children. On July 26, 2012, the Mobile Police Department issued an arrest warrant for Demetric for a Class-C felony charge of custodial interference. An unidentified male contacted authorities and asserted that he had taken a bus with Demetric from Mississippi to Tennessee. He couldn’t be sure where Demetric went after that as they departed Tennessee on different buses, but he recalled Demetric saying something about going to Arkansas.
A little over a month later, US Marshals located Demetric at a research facility in Arkansas and arrested him, and Demetric did not go willingly. In a later court hearing to determine whether bail was appropriate, prosecutors stated that at the time of his arrest, Demetric was being paid to take schizophrenia medication at a research facility in Arkansas, had a troubled mental history, and had been extremely violent with officers when they attempted to extradite him from Arkansas. Investigators also claimed that at the time of his arrest, Demetric had Brittany’s pink iPod, a rope, and some knives in his possession. A Grand Jury did indict Demetric on the Class-C felony, and in 2014, Demetric pled guilty instead of going to trial. He received a 10-year sentence for custodial interference but was released in December 2016 after serving only 4 of the 10 years.
Where the case stands today.
On August 8, 2012, the Mobile Police Department released photos obtained from Walmart surveillance cameras on Rangeline Road showing Brittany, Demetric, and an unidentified woman on June 7, 2012. They asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the woman in the photos, but as of today, she has never been publicly identified. While Demetric maintains he has no knowledge or involvement in Brittany’s disappearance, he continues to be the Mobile Police Department’s primary suspect. To date, Brittany has not been located, and her case remains an open investigation with the Mobile Police Department.
