UNION CITY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned that the wife of a man suspected in a missing metro Atlanta mother’s disappearance worked for a local police department.
Brianna Winston, 23, was reported missing by family members on April 1. They said her 4-year-old daughter had been staying with the dad’s family, and no one had heard from Winston in weeks.
Police say she stopped showing up for work March 17. Now, police say that is the day detectives think she vanished.
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In an updated statement, Clayton County Police Department wrote, “They believe she was the victim of a crime that left her incapacitated in some way.
Detectives named two people of interest in the case: the father of Winston’s child, Michael Edwards, and his wife, Brienna Phillips-Edwards.
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Jail records say police arrested Edwards April 8. His charge is listed as aggravated stalking.
Channel 2′s Tom Jones was in Union City Wednesday, where he learned that Brienna Phillips-Edwards, 21, was arrested on a felony false statement charge. According to the warrant, she gave false information to police and tried to provide her husband with an alibi as officers questioned her about Winston’s disappearance.
Phillips-Edwards worked for Union City Police and planned on becoming an officer.
Winston’s cousin couldn’t believe it when Jones told her about Phillips-Edwards’ ties to the police.
“I’m speechless at this news,” Jasmine Walker said. “This is honestly disturbing.”
Police said they learned of Phillips-Edwards’ involvement with the Winston disappearance case and they planned on opening an internal affairs investigation, but then Phillips-Edwards suddenly resigned.
Walker said Phillips-Edwards should never wear the badge after what she is accused of.
“I would hope that any person with a questionable background and direct connection with a known criminal would not be in any position to abuse the authority and power of an officer of the law,” Walker said.
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