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A nationwide manhunt for 24-year-old Brandon Augustine and 23-year-old Mildred Chestnut was initiated recently after they abandoned their infant. Police in North Carolina confirmed that Brandon Augustine and Mildred have been accused of charges related to child abuse, as stated by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in a press release.
Authorities have also asked people to help them find the couple. The four-month-old infant of the couple was left in the hospital while he was being treated for injuries that his parents stated were from a minor car crash.
According to a press release, police were made aware of the situation on March 20. The search for Brandon Augustine and Mildred Chestnut began a day later, on March 21. Law enforcement officials also mentioned that the infant had sustained some severe injuries.
Family members of Brandon Augustine and Mildred Chestnut reported them missing
On March 20, 2023, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department was notified of a four-month-old infant who was abandoned in a hospital. He was brought in by his parents, Brandom Augustine and Mildred Chestnut, who then left him alone.
The pair claimed that the injuries on the infant were the result of a minor car crash. The police, however, stated that the injuries were “severe and life-altering.”
Upon further investigation, it was confirmed that the injuries on the infant could not have come from a minor car crash. The warrants against Mildred and Brandon Augustine were signed on March 21, 2023.
Meanwhile, family members of the couple reported them missing. The extensive search for Mildred and Brandon began under the supervision of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT).
Authorities recovered a vehicle in Austell that allegedly belonged to the couple. CMPD officers stated:
“A vehicle belonging to them was found in Austell, Georgia, on March 21 after it was intentionally abandoned and hidden. Detectives believe that the couple has been receiving assistance, including money, shelter, and rides.”
Police have requested the public to assist in the search for the couple
Law enforcement officials are also assuming that the couple is getting assistance with money and shelter from someone. They have stated that if any person is found assisting the couple, they will be subject to criminal charges including aiding, abetting, and accessory after the fact of a felony.
Dianne Augustine, Brandon Augustine’s mother, spoke to the news agency and said:
“This is the longest I haven’t heard from him in his entire life. I’m worried it’s the last time. I’m being honest, like something is so viscerally wrong, like something is so absolutely wrong.”
She further stated:
“[CMPD] kept me in the dark on everything because they were looking at family.”
She pleaded with Brandon and said:
“Do the right thing. Please? Like, just so everybody knows that you’re okay. And that you can deal with what you’re supposed to deal with the right way.”
Authorities have further urged the public to reach out to CMPD Crime Stoppers if they have any information regarding the couple’s whereabouts. Officers have also confirmed that the tips will remain anonymous.
