A 48-year-old man and his 43-year-old girlfriend in Tennessee have been arrested for allegedly committing a series of horrific sex crimes against a little girl under the age of 10 over the course of nearly a year. William Joe Beene III, of Sequatchie County, and Brandon Sloan “Brandy” Hawkins, of Marion County, were both taken into custody last week and charged with five counts each of rape of a child, authorities announced.
According to a press release from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation into the couple was conducted by the MCSO Criminal Investigations Division along with the Sequatchic County Sheriff’s Office and the 12th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
A probable cause affidavit obtained by Chattanooga ABC affiliate WTVC provided additional information regarding the arrests. The report states that the couple’s victim was Hawkins’ 7-year-old daughter and that she was forcibly raped approximately five times between December 2022 and August 2023.
The first alleged sexual assault on the child took place during the first week of December 2022, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported. All five of the alleged incidents of sexual assault reportedly took place inside Hawkins’ home in Marion County.
Authorities allege that Hawkins gave Beene permission to commit the alleged rapes while she stayed in the room and watched the attacks.
While authorities have not divulged much information about the crimes allegedly committed against the victim, the sheriff’s office reportedly told the Free Press that detectives were first notified about possible wrongdoing by “a concerned person” who contacted the office.
Beene and Hawkins are both being held without bond and are scheduled to appear for a hearing in Marion County General Sessions Court on Wednesday.
A GoFundMe page was created on Tuesday by Donald Bailey, who says he is Hawkins’ brother and the victim’s uncle.
“My (former) sister and her BF were arrested on 9/13/23 in TN and each charged with 5 counts of child rape against my 7 year old niece,” the page states. “We have been awarded temporary custody pending their trial outcome and are relocating my niece to Texas to live with us. It is our goal to pursue full permanent custody once they have been found guilty and incarcerated, hopefully for life.”
Bailey wrote that the funds raised will go towards helping the victim overcome her horrific upbringing and starting a new life that is “free from abuse.”
“The funds requested will be used to furnish Ellie’s room to her every request, new wardrobe, school supplies, and the extensive specialized therapy we are told she is going to need,” he wrote. “Any extra will be placed in a college fund for her to use later.”
The page had raised just over $1,500 as of Wednesday morning.
