Mobile, Alabama Brittney Wood 19

[meme]

Brittney Wood's stepmother : Chessie Wood's arrest may deter search efforts for missing mobile mom

MOBILE, Alabama -- The recent arrest of Chessie Wood,mother of missing Mobile woman Brittney Wood,is likely to make some people shy away from searching for the missing Mobilian, according to Brittney Wood's stepmother, Stephanie Hanke.

"We have continued to search and we will continue to search," Hanke said today, noting a recent search by Hanke and a group of volunteers in March.

Hanke believes, however, that the arrest of Chessie Wood, who is among the most vocal in her daughter's missing persons case, is likely to make people hesitant to join the search for Brittney Wood.

"There are many people wanting to find Brittney, but now they don't know who to trust," Hanke said. "This will definitely throw another wrench in the search for Brittney."

Chessie Wood was arrested Thursday, June 27, and charged with two counts of first-degree sodomy and one count of sex abuse of a child less than 12 in connection with an alleged 2009 incident between Chessie Wood and a then 10-year-old girl,according to Det. Terri Hall of the Mobile County Sheriff's Office.

On Thursday, she denied any knowledge of the crimes she's being charged with and begged the public to continue searching for her daughter, who was last seen May 30, 2012.

"Please look for my daughter. Don't let this deter anything," Wood said. "I can fight my way through this but I cannot find my daughter... Not even this is going to deter me from finding her."

Chessie Wood is the sixth of Brittney Wood's family members to be implicated in a multiagency sex abuse investigation. Arrests have previously been made by officers with the Mobile Police Department and the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.

"I was shocked," Hanke said of the arrest of Chessie Wood. "They [BCSO investigators] told us after Wendy [Holland, Brittney Wood's aunt] was indicted that there were more arrests to come... [but] nothing happened."

Hanke believes the arrest of Chessie Wood will not be the last.

"I hope this child and these children coming forward get the help they need," Hanke said.

Chessie Wood was granted a bond of $65,000 this morning, according to local media reports. However, records from Mobile County Metro Jail show she remained in custody as of 2:30 p.m.

blog.al.com/live/2013/06/brittney_woods_stepmother_shoc.html

[earl]

"Please look for my daughter. Don't let this deter anything," Wood said. "I can fight my way through this but I cannot find my daughter... Not even this is going to deter me from finding her."

Chessie Wood is the sixth of Brittney Wood's family members to be implicated in a multiagency sex abuse investigation. Arrests have previously been made by officers with the Mobile Police Department and the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.

[meme]

Chessie Wood's preliminary hearing rescheduled
Chessie is mother of missing woman Brittney Wood

Updated: Tuesday, 06 Aug 2013, 5:11 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 06 Aug 2013, 11:10 AM CDT

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Chessie Wood was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Tuesday, August 6 in Mobile.

The hearing was postponed until August 14 because a court reporter was not present and the defense agreed to pay for one.

Wood, the mother of missing teenager Brittney Wood , is charged with two counts of first degree sodomy and one count of sexual abuse of a child younger than 12.

She has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has been free on bail.


HEARING SCHEDULE

Wood was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Tuesday in District Court Judge Jay York's court.

Nicki Patterson with the Mobile County District Attorney's Office said, "We just live to fight another day. This has been reset."

"MORE TENTACLES THAN A HYDRA"

Wood's attorney, Michael McDuffie, filed a motion asking the court to provide a court reporter to record the hearing, at the state's expense, saying Wood is indigent.

McDuffie also said the case has characteristics of the Salem Witch Trials, and that it has more tentacles than a hydra, a mythological beast.

He said, "They want the case to, basically, talk about one incident between my client and a minor child. I'm trying to expand the case to include other elements. My client's child, I think the evidence is overwhelming that my client's child Brittney, was murdered by the major person who's involved in this case, who, 40 hours later, committed suicide with her firearm."

McDuffie was referring to Brittney's uncle, Donald Ray Holland.

"I think it's part of the case. To suggest that the murder of Brittney Wood is not part of this case is tantamount to saying that recruiting is not part of Alabama football. They go together, it can't be separated."

HEARING POSTPONED

McDuffie said a court reporter couldn't be found Tuesday, so the hearing was postponed.

He said, "They're difficult to find, number one; and they're all busy, number two. So, probably what I'm going to have to do is to hire an independent reporter and bring him at my expense, which is okay."

"If the defendant wants to pay for a court reporter, I don't object to that. I would just like for them to have it available on the day when it's set for trial,” Patterson said.

WOOD'S ATTORNEY SAYS SHE'S INNOCENT

Law enforcement investigators have said Wood sexually abused a 10-year-old girl in 2009. Police have said they believe it was a onetime act of abuse.

McDuffie maintains Wood's innocence.

He said, "She's not guilty. There's no way she's guilty."

NEXT COURT HEARING

During the hearing, prosecutors will present evidence related to the charges against Wood, and Judge York will determine whether to send the case to a grand jury.

www.fox10tv.com/dpp/news/local_news/mobile_county/chessie-woods-preliminary-hearing-rescheduled

[meme]

Sex-abuse case of Chessie Wood, mother of missing teen Brittney Wood, sent to grand jury


Shocking details of sex abuse with a child emerged Wednesday morning during the preliminary hearing of Chessie Wood, who is accused of sex crimes.

She mother of missing teen Brittney Wood.

And based on testimony by a youth-crime investigator, Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Jay York ordered the charges held over to a grand jury.

During the hearing in York's courtroom, Cpl. Terri Hall testified that Chessie Wood and the late Donald Holland -- who committed suicide in June 2012 -- sexually abused his daughter, who was between 8 and 10 years old at the time.

Hall, a veteran with the Mobile County Sheriff's Office, investigates youth crimes through the Child Advocacy Center.

Under questioning by Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Nicki Patterson, Hall said that the alleged occurrence of abuse happened a single time, and at Wood's west Mobile home.

Defense attorney Michael McDuffie took strides to point out that the case rested solely on the word of the youth making the accusations, and during cross-examination verified through Hall that the allegation was the only one the child mentioned involving Wood.

blog.al.com/live/2013/08/sex-abuse_case_of_chessie_wood.html

[meme]

Brittney Wood turns 21, trials delayed


Updated: Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 10:08 PM CDT
Published: Wednesday, September 25, 2013, 3:55 PM CDT

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Family and friends are celebrating the life of missing mother Brittney Wood, who turns 21 years old Wednesday September 25.

The mother of one vanished from her home in Mobile on May, 30 2012 and was last seen driving off with her uncle, Donald Holland Sr.

Officials said Holland committed suicide on June 1, 2012; the same day he was suppose to meet deputies about a sex crimes investigation involving family and friends.

Since Wood’s disappearance, nearly a dozen relatives have been arrested and charged in an elaborate child sex ring.

At least twice, trial dates for Brittney’s cousin, aunt, uncles, and brother have been pushed back.

The trial date is currently set for December.

The Baldwin County District Attorneys Office told FOX10 the Judge continued Wendy Holland’s case from the October trial term to the December trial term without any motion from the State or Defense.

Officials said typically priority is given to older cases and cases where the defendant is in jail.

Authorities maintain they are ready for trial.

Sex investigation suspects face hearing

Meanwhile, Wood’s loved ones are remembering her life and holding on to hope that the sex abuse trials will reveal information about where she may be.

www.fox10tv.com/news/local/mobile-county/brittney-wood-turns-21-trials-delayed