Missing girl located in Texas, father arrested
A missing 9-year-old girl who wasn’t returned to her mother after a trip to Hawaii with her father was located in Texas Thursday morning, the FBI said.
The FBI tracked the girl’s father, Brian Kirk, to Poolville, Texas acting on an anonymous tip and local authorities arrested him early Thursday morning at a relative’s house.
The girl, Brianne Kirk, will be returned to her mother in Colorado Springs, Colo. in time for Mother’s Day, the FBI said.
The child lives with her mother, who has primary custody, the FBI said.
The Honolulu FBI issued an alert this week asking for the public’s help in finding the girl and her father.
Brian Kirk lives in Pine, Colo., but used to live on Hawaii island, and has extensive social and family ties there.
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Kirk took temporary custody of Brianne Kirk on March 22, for a spring break visit.
He sent the girl’s mother a text message March 24 that he was taking Brianne Kirk to Kona to camp in Keaau, in the Hawaiian Paradise Park subdivision on the Big Island.
Brianne Kirk was supposed to be returned to her mother March 30.
The FBI said it appears that Brian Kirk flew to Texas from the Big Island with Brianne last month.