Brandon Keith Blount
A Nevada man was arrested Tuesday after seven young girls were seen being loaded into a U-Haul box truck. It was verified that the driver, Brandon Keith Blount, was the father of the children.
East Ridge Police responded to the 4300 block of Ringgold Road regarding a report of children being loaded into the back of a U-Haul. An immediate search of the area conducted by numerous East Ridge officers led to the U-Haul being found on I-75 Northbound.
A traffic stop was conducted at the I-75 off ramp, exit 3A. Seven juvenile females were in the U-Haul (two in the front cab, and five in the back storage compartment of the box truck).
The East Ridge Police Department conducted interviews and verified the information regarding the children and their custodial status. These verifications took some time and involved reviewing documents from courts outside Tennessee, contacting family members in California and Georgia, and interfacing with partner agencies from TBI and FBI.
Blount, 39, was taken into custody for multiple counts of child endangerment and child neglect.
Child Protective Services was notified and the children were all transported by EMS for medical evaluation.