A 19-year-old Oklahoma male has been charged with the death of a 16-year-old girl who went missing in June, according to authorities.
Brayden Brown was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on Thursday, October 30, according to a statement released by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. He had already been put into the Beaver County Jail for unrelated offenses at the time.
According to the statement, the most recent arrest arises from a suspicious death investigation following the discovery of a teenage girl’s body in a rural area of Beaver County on June 12. The victim was a 16-year-old female from Hooker.
The child, eventually identified by investigators in July as London Valdez, was reported missing by her grandmother five days before her body was discovered, according to KFDA, KVII, and KAMR.
According to the OSBI statement, Valdez died as a result of acute methamphetamine intoxication, which was exacerbated by hyperthermia. She was allegedly traveling with Brown a few days before her death.
According to the OSBI, investigators spoke with Brown and discovered that he was high on methamphetamine while the two were traveling.
“Brown was driving the vehicle and got stuck on a dirt road just north of the intersection where the victim was found deceased,” according to the confession.
Brown then left the vehicle and fled the area. Valdez was not seen alive again after that.
According to her obituary, Valdez died on June 7th.
She had a “big heart for rescuing animals,” according to the statement. “She also enjoyed playing softball, listening to music, and socializing with her friends.” Her favorite activities included hiking in Red River, New Mexico, or in the highlands, as well as driving around Ponca Lake with her mother, Brittany.”
Aside from caring for animals, Valdez was “always there for anyone who needed her or simply needed someone to listen.” She was especially nice to the ‘underdog’… and was constantly putting others ahead of herself.”
“London will forever be 16 in the hearts of those who loved her,” the obituary reads.
Authorities are still investigating.
It is unknown whether Brown has retained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
