Brittney Wood family wants investigation

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Brittney Wood's mother said she wants her daughters missing persons case upgraded to a criminal investigation.

Chessie Wood believes there is foul play suspected in her daughter's case, and she wants authorities to acknowledge it.

"I believe her being listed as a missing person does knock her down on the priority level," said Wood.

Mobile police said they follow leads and keep in contact with Wood's family. But right now, she is considered a missing person. There isn't a criminal investigation involving the missing teen.

"All indications are... is that she is out there somewhere just not coming forward," said the Mobile Police Department Spokesman Chris Levy.

Chessie Wood said she's asked police why her daughters case isn't considered to be criminal.

"They said to swap it over to a criminal case, there has to be foul play proven. So I asked them could they prove to me there wasn't foul play? And that is where we are kind of bumping heads right now," said Chessie Wood.

There have been a number of Brittney's family members arrested since she has disappeared. None of them have been criminally linked to Brittney. But Wood thinks police should take a closer look what happened shortly after her daughter disappeared.

"She walks out my door May 30, Her uncle commits suicide two days later. He's the last one she's seen with," said Wood.

Brittney's mother believes foul play can be linked back to when Brittney's uncle Donald Holland was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on June 1. He died in the hospital June 4.

Wood's family said Brittney was last seen heading to Baldwin County and the Styx River area with Holland.

Police have noticed all the activity surrounding Brittney's case. But it hasn't changed her case status.

"I mean, it was interesting how obviously there was some things going in there family. A family member commits suicide. There have been a number of arrests with other family members. It is interesting; but we don't have anything right now that says that he's in any sort of trouble," said Levy.

Wood's mother believes upgrading her daughters case to a criminal investigation would bring more resources to the investigation. And hopefully, bring her daughter home

"She only had me one grand baby, and I'm hoping that baby could at least be able to visit her mama. My worst nightmare is to be Natalee Holloway's parents never to bring their child back," said Wood.