Three appear on sex abuse charges

BAY MINETTE, Ala. (WALA) - Two relatives and a family friend of missing 19-year-old Brittney Wood faced Baldwin County judge on Thursday morning.

The three men are facing sex charges.

Inside Judge Jody Bishop's courtroom on Thursday morning, three men waited to hear evidence against them.

All three men are connected to Wood, who vanished in May.

Photos: Baldwin County sex crimes investigation

Family friend William Brownlee , Wood's cousin Donald Holland, Jr., and her brother Derek Wood all face charges for sex crimes.

State prosecutors said the three men had sexual relations with an underage Fairhope girl.

Prosecutor Teresa Heinz said, "Anytime we have a child victim involved, we take these cases very seriously."

When Holland took the stand, a Sheriff's investigator gave explicit details.

The girl told deputies that in January 2011, Holland touched her inappropriately and had sex with her. She was 12 years old at the time of the alleged incident.

Prosecutors said the other two co-defendants had sex with her as well.

Heinz said, "She's in counseling, and we talk to her and make sure we keep up to date with her and see how she's doing."

Derek Wood’s attorney Jason Dorley said, "He's innocent until proven guilty. There's a lot to this case. This one is very involved. It's going to be a lengthy case. We are in the very early stages of it."

The state prosecutor would not comment on any connection between these cases and the disappearance of Brittney Wood.

Heinz said, "That's still an ongoing investigation, so I can't really comment as to that."

The judge rescheduled Brownlee's hearing to August 30, and set a bond of $30,000.

The judge set bond for Derek Wood as well at $20,000. If they make bond, both men would be required to wear an ankle monitor.

As for Holland, Jr., he's already out on bond.

Prosecutors said this is a large case and it's still under investigation.

Two other men face sex charges in the case as well.