In 2018, She Vanished After Getting Into A Single-Car Crash Caused By Foggy Conditions: Now, 4 Years Later, Her Case Has Remained Cold, And Her Loved Ones Are Outraged
In 2018, Brittanny Nicole Shank of Sturgis, Michigan, was navigating a challenging and turbulent period of her life.
At just 23 years old, she was already a mother to four children– all of whom she no longer had direct custody of.
However, it was reportedly Britanny herself who decided to sign over her parental rights to work on her sobriety.
At the same time, she was searching for a second job and attempting to remove people from her life who were not helpful in her efforts to get and remain clean.
All the while, Britanny was reportedly working on remaining an active part of her children’s lives.
Still, the road to sobriety and a more stable life was not without its bumps. The young mom had already been married a few times, which sparked tension among the people closest to her.
Britanny also suffered some past behavioral troubles, which made it hard for her friends and family to believe her at times.
This was best exemplified by a Facebook post made by Britanny following her first marriage, in which she posted a photo of her official marriage license on the platform to prove that she had really tied the knot.
And because of this disconnect, many people in Britanny’s inner circle found it challenging to keep up with her on social media.
GoFundMe – pictured above is Brittanny
At one point in time, she had been running at least six different social media pages– creating a new one each time a major life event occurred.
As shown by her different marriages, the young mom also had trouble in her romantic relationships– jumping from one romantic endeavor to the next with stereotypically “bad boys.” These men ranged from having arrest records tied to low-level bar violence to drug charges.
And all of these overlapping circumstances are what ultimately made it so difficult for authorities to successfully create a list of people in Britanny’s circle following her disappearance.
Brittany’s Disappearance
The day that the 23-year-old vanished started off mysteriously. It was November 30, 2018, and Britanny had been accompanied by an unknown man earlier in the day.
The man was described as being five foot six to five foot eight and was likely in his early to mid-twenties. He also had short blonde hair and mutton-chop sideburns.
His identity still remains unknown to this day, and authorities have not determined whether or not he was involved in the case.
However, the fact that Brittany was hanging out with him has puzzled investigators– particularly because she had a boyfriend.
In fact, later that night, the young mom actually borrowed her boyfriend’s car. While driving it, though, the roads were experiencing a dangerous coating of fog.
So, while passing through the 33000 block of Fawn River Road at about 9:30 p.m., the fog disoriented Britanny, and she accidentally drove off the road– resulting in a single-car crash.
It appears that she was able to remove herself from the vehicle and attempt to seek help because witnesses claim to have seen Britanny walking from house to house in the neighborhood. The 23-year-old did not have a coat or shoes on and was reportedly acting confused.
Witnesses also reported that Britanny’s feet had appeared cut up– likely due to either walking through the broken glass from the car accident or the rough gravel road.
GoFundMe – pictured above is another photo of Brittanny
Her cell phone records indicated that she had attempted to call both her grandmother and the police numerous times following the crash. However, the young mom’s cell reception was very poor, so her calls never went through.
Eventually, Britanny did get into contact with one local resident– a man– who gave her a green army jacket to keep warm. But, as soon as the man turned around inside his home to phone the police, he claimed that she had darted away.
The man then tried to contact the authorities anyway, encountering the same poor cell reception that Brittany had. After a short while, though, he did get through to the police– and reported that Britanny had been acting erratically.
Unfortunately, though, the 23-year-old has remained missing ever since that night. She was never located by authorities or her loved ones, and Britanny’s family has been speaking out.
Outrage Over Britanny’s Case
According to the young mom’s family and friends, the efforts made by both the Michigan State Police Department and the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s department to locate Britanny have been lackluster at best.
Her loved ones even took to Change.org, creating a petition that detailed their outrage and pushed for more investigative action.
“To date, there has been but one concerted ground search effort by law enforcement personnel to locate Britanny. To date, there have been no public updates on actions and/or progress being made by law enforcement personnel,” the petition began.
It also revealed how even Britanny’s own family had been kept out of the information loop– unaware of anything regarding the case’s progression.
“The family and friends of this beautiful young lady have been left to their own devices in their efforts to locate Britany. It goes without saying that no mother, father, sister, or friend of Britanny’s should bear the sole responsibility of searching on land, investigating potential tips, and generating media coverage for their missing loved one,” the petitioners added.
In turn, community members from the local area and beyond were urged to sign the petition in hopes of pushing investigators to undertake more intense investigative actions. Such actions include an organized ground search effort with K-9 assistance, enhanced media interaction and communication with the public, the utilization of assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and direct communication between investigators and Britanny’s family.
“Britanny deserves better. Her family deserves answers. Action must be taken to bring Britanny home.”
The petition has since gained just under 2,200 signatures, with many signers leaving their thoughts on the young mom’s case investigation.
“It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to find a child when a child is lost,” wrote one petitioner, Debra Bontempt.
“The family and community need answers! Britanny did not just vanish into thin air, and no one should have to beg for justice. It’s what’s right!” added another petitioner, Amanda Overton.
Four Years, No Answers
As of last month, Brittany’s case has remained cold for four years. Despite all of the challenges in working with law enforcement, though, her loved ones have held onto hope.
“Britanny, I love you, and we all hope you come home safely. And I am gonna find you no matter what. I promise,” her mother, Jessica Rolphe, told members of the press.
At the time of her disappearance, Britanny was five foot one, weighed 110 pounds, and had dyed red hair with shaved sides. She also had multiple piercings of her tongue, nose, lip, and eyebrow, and various tattoos– one of which said the name “Zak” on her left wrist.
Today, Brittany would be 27 years old. She also sometimes used the last name Wallace, and her former married surname was Persing.
If you have any information regarding Britanny’s disappearance or whereabouts, you are urged to contact the Michigan State Police at 1(855)-MICH-TIP.
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