A kidnapping case in Utah of victim Madelyn Allen and abductor Brent Brown has come under police custody. The victim was in an underground coal bunker. He tied up her to a chair. All these illegal acts took place after using an online chatting and calling app called “Kik”.
What is Kik App?
Kik is a chatting app that provides its user the function of keeping themselves anonymous while talking to anybody outside the circle of their friends and families. The app works by internet usage (wifi and mobile data) and requires signing up through a mail account to ensure privacy.
Kik currently has close to a billion users around the globe and has to feature like video chats, anonymous chats, anonymous group chats, media exchange, etc.
As per Kik’s account policy, the age restriction is till 13. However, Apple store has categorized the age group to be 17 and above as its anonymous nature can become a potential threat to teens.
Under Kik’s privacy policy, parents of underage Kik users are allowed to contact their customer support to get their child’s account deactivated.
Who is Madelyn Allen?
Madelyn Allen is a 19-year-old undergrad student at Snow College in Ephraim.
Allen ran into Brent Brown by using an online app Kik. The two eventually got to know each other through the app. They set a plan to meet on the evening of December 13 (Monday).
The matters became serious when Allen didn’t return the same night in the dorm. Her roommates reported her missing the following day.
According to the police report, Allen was going out of the dormitory around 7:22 p.m. on December 13. Her parents also alerted police officials as they received a text from Allen’s phone number stating ‘I love you’ which was quite unusual for them.
After some research, Allen’s phone number was located 87 miles away from Snow College.
This further led to a week’s search for the officials who finally found Allen’s college id in Brent Brown’s home in Utah, south of Ephraim.
Brent Brown Arrested For Alleged Kidnapping And Sexual Assault
Brent Brown (39) was arrested for alleged kidnapping and sexual assault against a 19-year-old college student Madelyn Allen. As per the information available, Brent Brown’s relationship with Allen became more of a forced sexual assault as it was against the will of Ms. Allen.
Brent confirmed to the police officials that he met Ms. Allen in a group chat on Kik which was titled related sexual themes and everything he did was a part of sexual role play and thus tied her so she couldn’t leave him.
Ms. Allen’s statement in legal filing says that she was held against her will, was threatened that Brent will hurt her family if she tries to leave, and confiscated her phone so she cannot call for help.
After extensive research police found Brent Brown and asked him to let them search the house but he denied saying that he will not allow them in without the permission of the owners, who are Brent’s parents.
The police however got the permission after some time and found the college id of Allen and a suitcase and arrested Brown on the spot. Upon searching the basement they found discarded clothes and women tied to a chair covered in coal which happens to be Madelyn Allen.