Dark Downeast - The Disappearance of Brittany Tee (Massachusetts)

Episode Date: April 10, 2025

For more than two years, the family of Brittany Tee along with the Brookfield, Massachusetts, community and multiple law enforcement agencies have been searching for answers to her unexplained disappearance. It’s as if she simply vanished that January night, leaving no semblance of a trail to follow. Looking back now, Brittany’s sister Bethany feels something was going on in the days before Brittany went missing, but what? Brittany is described as 5-foot-6 inches tall and 120 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black winter coat, a hoodie, jeans, and work boots. If you have information that could help bring Brittany Tee home, please contact Massachusetts State Police at [phone] or Brookfield Police at [phone].View source material and photos for this episode at: darkdowneast.com/brittanytee Dark Downeast is an audiochuck and Kylie Media production hosted by Kylie Low.Follow @darkdowneast on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTokTo suggest a case visit darkdowneast.com/submit-case

For more than two years, the family of Brittany T., along with the Brookfield, Massachusetts community, multiple law enforcement agencies, and now a private investigator, have been searching for answers to Brittany's unexplained disappearance. After a concerning phone call to her mother, it's as if Brittany simply vanished that January night, leaving a pile of circumstances that just don't quite add up and no semblance of a trail to follow. Looking back now, Brittany's sister Bethany feels something was going on in the days before Brittany went missing. But what? I'm Kylie Lowe, and this is the case of Brittany T. On Dark Down East.

It was Thursday night, January 12, 2023, and Susan T. could already feel that something was wrong. and Susan T could already feel that something was wrong. Her daughter, 35-year-old Brittany T, hadn't answered her phone or returned any calls for almost two days. It wasn't like Brittany at all. Brittany's older sister, Bethany, hadn't heard from Brittany for a few days either. Bethany was working long hours

and had picked up an extra shift that week, but she tried calling her sister too, and every time the phone rang and rang until it went to voicemail. As far as Bethany can remember, the text messages that accompanied her phone calls seemed to be going through, but Brittany wasn't responding to anything. We were close. We talked to each other all the time, multiple times a week, if not daily. So we knew something was really wrong. At the time, Brittany was living on Main Street in Brookfield, Massachusetts with her boyfriend,

her boyfriend's brother, and one other roommate. The last time anyone in Brittany's family heard from her was Tuesday night, January 10th, when Brittany called her mom from her boyfriend's cell phone. We've cut out the first name of Brittany's boyfriend for privacy. So that's when I said, Mom, why don't you just text and see what's up? And so that's when my mom Thursday night had texted and said, Hey, Britt's not answering her phone. Is she okay? And then that's when he called my mom and said, what do you mean?

I thought she was with you guys. That's when my mom called me and said, we don't know where Britt is. That sinking feeling I'll never forget. That moment changed everything for Bethany and her mother. Soon, nearly the entire town of Brookfield and the surrounding communities would know the name Brittany T. Brittany and Bethany T. were extremely close, both in age and in their relationship. Being the big sister, Bethany played the protector role for Brittany when they were younger,

but that role almost reversed as they grew up. She was much more the protector of me, I feel. She always wanted to make sure I was okay. We are so close, we're 18 months apart, so we're almost like twins. So growing up, yeah, I protected her and then she protected me. It was mutual. So many of Bethany's most favorite memories with her sister are set against the backdrop of a New England summer.

We loved being outside together. We grew up on a lake, just being by water. We loved boating and skiing, water skiing and swimming. We had the best times on our lake. Though the soundtrack may have evolved from Spice Girls and NSYNC, there was a simple ritual that survived their teenage years. Driving in the car and listening to music was something we loved to do. Chasing sunsets, that was always fun. Bethany and Brittany have always shared a deep, unbreakable bond,

but there was a time when being physically together wasn't possible or even safe. Bethany is a nurse, and when the global coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, it changed things. I had to keep my distance from her so she didn't get sick or just unknown times. So I feel like at that period of time, she was living like maybe a half hour away. We grew a little bit apart. I feel that it was at that time, maybe a little bit after 2020, where she had started an alcohol problem that she was not proud of, very embarrassed about. When COVID-19 related restrictions eased, Bethany still didn't see as much of her sister as she used to. Bethany believes that her sister's challenges with alcohol use disorder kept her isolated from family and friends for a time. By spring of 2022, we were back on track.

We went on a sister's trip up to Maine. We had a really good time, but I think it was the first time I really did see her drinking problem come out. And she at that time was just very honest with me about it. Brittany's physical and emotional well-being began to deteriorate as her reliance on alcohol deepened. Bethany was very candid describing her sister's ongoing battle with alcohol use disorder. It took a severe toll on her body that resulted in hospitalizations and chronic conditions.

She ended up later on, like towards the summer of that year, being hospitalized for electrolyte imbalances and just getting really sick with a skin disease called psoriasis. It got pretty bad. But with the support and love of her family to guide her through it, Brittany worked to improve her health and she was making great progress. She had previously worked at Bay Path Spirits,

a liquor store in Brookfield, and she was a familiar face to many at the shop, but she left her management position there in early 2022 and had since been unemployed. By December of 2022, as she made strides towards a healthier life, Brittany was applying for jobs again and looking ahead to the future. She was really turning herself around. She was looking for jobs. And then by Christmas of 2022, I felt like she was back to normal, like my sister was back.

She was back to her silly, happy self. We had a wonderful Christmas. And then two weeks later, practically she disappeared, disappears into thin air. So it was a shock for us because we felt like everything was heading in such a great direction for her. It was a shock for us, because we felt like everything was heading in such a great direction for her. Brittany's mother, Susan, reported her missing on Friday, January 13, 2023, when they realized that no one could account for Brittany's whereabouts over the previous two days.

As Susan and Bethany recounted the details of their last contact with Brittany to police, they racked their brains for any sign that something was amiss, that something might be going on with Brittany or that she might be in some sort of trouble. She seemed to be doing so much better, but then again, something about their last visit together wasn't sitting well with Bethany. The Monday before she went missing, she had come over to my mom's house. Myself and my two children were there. And she was coming to meet my mom's new cat. She came over and she was very off.

She just burst in the door and was like, I feel like I have cancer, don't I? And she was looking at her phone. She was acting really, really off. Bethany and her mother asked Brittany where all this was coming from, but the conversation didn't go much further. Bethany's children were within earshot, and so they didn't want to talk about whatever was going on in front of the kids, who absolutely adored their aunt. They didn't get into it, and it was a very quick visit anyway. Bethany had to leave with the kids soon after Brittany arrived, so she resolved to check in on Brittany

the next morning. Bethany's Aunt Bethany I had texted her the following morning just to check in with her to make sure she was doing okay, and she said, yes, I'm fine. I will chat with you when I come over for my psoriasis injection. We gave her injections monthly for her skin condition. She said, I'll talk with you when I come over this afternoon, which she never came. Bethany said that she and her mother were surprised that Brittany didn't show up for the injection because the medication had been helping her tremendously.

They don't know why she didn't show up, but they heard from her later on that night, January 10th. My mom talked to her Tuesday night around eight o'clock. She had called my mom's cell phone from her boyfriend's phone, and she seemed like she was upset about something. My mom asked her what was wrong, and she said, oh nothing, we'll talk about it later.

In hindsight, that phone call and Brittany's emotional state sticks out as a potential warning sign. But what was behind it? Brittany's family still doesn't know for sure. She wasn't hysterically crying or anything, she was just kind of upset. So my mom didn't want to push her because we've learned that if Brit wants to talk about it she'll talk about it on her time.

She doesn't want to, we'll just keep checking in with her. So my mom, she regrets it to this day that she didn't push her more about asking what was wrong. But none of us would have thought we'd be in this situation. So yeah, it was a very brief phone call and then that was the last time my mom talked to her. After the missing person's report was filed, the search for Britney T began the very same night.

State police patrolled near Britney's last known residence on Main Street for any sign she might be in the area. The next morning, Brookfield police showed up with bloodhounds. According to reporting by Carrie Perricone and Marnie Hughes for News Nation, Brittany's mother was not the last person to see or talk to Brittany before she disappeared. Brittany's boyfriend told police that around 8.30 p.m., about 30 minutes after she'd talked to her mom on the phone, Brittany left the house. She just walked out the door.

He didn't know where she was going or what direction she went, but he assumed that Brittany's mom was picking her up. He thought that's what the phone call was about. If Brittany had asked for a ride that night, Bethany insists that her mother would have been there. But Brittany didn't ask for a ride, at least not from her mother or from anyone else that we know of at this point. She also didn't drive her own vehicle anywhere when she left. It was still sitting outside her boyfriend's house.

Bethany She had a lot of work done on her Jeep. It wasn't in the best running condition. It was running, but there were a lot of like check engine lights and stuff on. So it wasn't a very reliable vehicle. And also there was not a lot of gas in the tank. I don't know if that deterred her from using her own vehicle. As far as Bethany remembers, there was so little gas in the tank that Brittany likely wouldn't have made it to her mother's house in the town of Spencer, if that's where she intended to go.

The fact that Brittany didn't drive her car that night may or may not be significant, but there was something else about the car that seems to tell a story about what was going on in Brittany's life at the time. It was filled to the brim with all of Brittany's stuff. We were made aware or assume that her and her boyfriend were breaking up because all of her things were packed in her Jeep, all of her belongings. So looked like she was, I don't know who put it in there, but that she was being either told to move out or she was wanting to move out of his house. was being either told to move out or she was wanting to move out of his house. Brittany was a pretty private person when it came to her relationships and she didn't

talk to Bethany about her boyfriend despite their close sisterly bond. Bethany had met Brittany's boyfriend only a handful of times, so she didn't know him very well at all. But there weren't any red flags waving in her mind based on her previous interactions with him. Bethany also wasn't aware of any turmoil or issues that precipitated Brittany apparently moving out of the house. Now there were a few personal belongings that couldn't be accounted for after searching

Brittany's Jeep and her boyfriend's house. Nobody could find her wallet, which Bethany described as a wristlet or a wallet with a bracelet wrist strap, nor could they find Britney's cell phone. The search quickly escalated beyond neighborhood patrols to a major effort involving multiple agencies. Will Catcher reports for the Republican that Britney's disappearance was being handled as a missing person situation, as there was nothing to indicate that she disappeared as the result of criminal activity. However, the DA said that investigators would go wherever the facts took them.

As more posters went up around town, as more media coverage showed Britney's photo during the evening news, her family and investigators alike hoped that they'd get the facts they needed to find Brittany. So you could just drive down Route 9 and see Britt's name plastered on the signs and posters up in windows. People I don't even know would message me, oh I went out to this area and put up flyers everywhere and just a great group of people that just are just so willing to help you when you're in such a great need. Word of Brittany's disappearance spread fast and investigators used that to the advantage of the search. The very residents of the town who hoped for her

safe return could hold the key to tracking Brittany's movements after she left the house that night. According to reporting by Rick Sobey for the Boston Herald, police asked residents and businesses to check their security cameras and send their video footage, even if only to rule out areas that Brittany may have traveled. Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. also encouraged people to check their barns and sheds and garages anywhere a person might seek shelter from the elements. Within days, the two-mile search radius expanded to three miles.

The house where Brittany was last seen abuts acres of forested land, leading eventually to the Richardson Wildlife Management Area. On the other side of the street and past the village of Brookfield is more green space. There's the Quay Bog River and Quay Bog Pond. If Brittany really left on foot and kept walking somewhere, searchers had significant ground to cover. Tracking dogs and ATVs on land and helicopters in the air scoured the landscape to no avail. Tom Matthews reports for the Republican that the state police dive team, Marine unit,

and Massachusetts environmental police joined the search effort on January 24, searching the waters of the Quay Bog River, Quay Bog Pond, and Dunbrook and surrounding marshland. The search did not locate evidence relating to Brittany's disappearance or Brittany herself. As the search continued, investigators worked to retrieve any possible forensic evidence from Brittany's internet and cell phone records.

Bethany told me that although her sister's cell phone has never been recovered, a piece of it was apparently left behind. One of the roommates in the house found Brittany's SIM card and turned it over to the police. They had saw her take her SIM card out of her cell phone and put it on a table, which I didn't even know she knew how to do that. I don't know why this doesn't really make any sense to me. But they found her SIM card on a table in the apartment. A SIM card is a small removable chip that securely stores your mobile network credentials. It holds essential information such as your phone number and network authentication data,

and it's what enables your device to connect to your carrier's services for calls, texts, and data. When a SIM card is removed from a phone, calls to the number associated with that SIM card typically go to voicemail. A phone may still receive text messages or calls if connected to Wi-Fi, but we don't know or rather cannot confirm what the situation was with Britney's phone and SIM card before and after her disappearance. It's either not known or it hasn't been publicly disclosed and verified when exactly Britney removed her SIM card or why she did it, and any suggestion otherwise is just internet noise. You'll remember, she made that phone call on the night of the 10th using her boyfriend's phone. So maybe her phone was already out of commission anyway.

Police also have been unwilling to confirm any details regarding the last known PINGs or GPS location of Brittany's cell phone and SIM card. Bethany disclosed that police have been able to obtain some cell phone data as part of the investigation, but it hasn't led to Brittany. Technicians have also analyzed Brittany's vehicle for clues that might help point the investigation in one direction or another. It's very evident from talking to Bethany and digging into existing reporting on this case, that authorities were and are doing a lot to try and figure this out. Even lacking conclusive evidence of a crime, police certainly

are not leaving any stone unturned in the event the case pivots in that direction. Speaking of existing reporting on this case, if you find yourself scanning the earliest articles about Brittany, you'll notice that there's essentially zero mention of the health challenges that Bethany shared here. Bethany You know, when we first started talking about her, I was so scared to talk about her alcoholism because I just feel like people would just focus on that. but she was more than just that. And it's really hard to even talk about it because she was just so, so embarrassed by it. And she was trying so hard to get healthy again,

but I think it's important to be honest about it. Her transparency now is influenced in part by the fact that any detail about her sister might be what someone needs to hear to come forward. Any circumstance of Brittany's life could have played a role in what happened after she walked out the door and seemingly vanished that January evening. Around the one-year anniversary of Brittany's disappearance in January 2024, Bethany and her family sat down for an update with the detective assigned to the case, but there was really nothing new to report.

Investigators had conducted additional searches and followed up on whatever information came in, but they were still standing in essentially the same place they had been for months. Britney was still missing. Tony Cauchy reports for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette that on January 10, 2024, Britney's family and about a hundred friends and community members gathered on the Brookfield Common for a vigil in Brittany's honor. Despite the frigid winter night, everyone came together to share memories and sing Tom Petty songs as a local musician strummed his guitar in the flickering candlelight.

After two years and a second vigil in 2025, there's still nothing new to share. But Bethany knows that the work on her sister's case is ongoing, even when there's a lack of public-facing updates. They've gone above and beyond for us, so like far more than anybody can comprehend. And yet, no matter how dedicated law enforcement might be, growing caseloads can take attention and resources away from some cases in favor of more active developing cases. That's just the reality. So, Britney's family turned to a private investigator as another avenue to seek answers. An organization with a name you might recognize, Private Investigations for the Missing, took up Brittany's case in September of 2024.

The nonprofit was founded by the father of Breanna Maitland, Bruce Maitland, to provide private investigators to families with missing loved ones free of charge. He came and just started from square one. Bethany gave the P.I. a tour of Brookfield and surrounding towns, pointing out areas where Brittany hung out and other places she'd lived. He went through the belongings Brittany left behind to see if there were any clues and is now seeking out interviews with witnesses. Just like the state police investigation, the private investigators work on the case is ongoing. The Tee family is hopeful that an extra set of eyes

is exactly what the case needs to bring closure more than two years later. Until then, the what-ifs and endless questions continue to swirl in their minds. Without conclusive evidence to direct the investigation one way or another, there are just so many possibilities on the table right now that can't be ruled in or out. However, if you ask Brittany's sister, there are some theories that seem far less probable than others. Is it possible Brittany disappeared on purpose? If that's what happened, why would Brittany disappear on purpose? As far as her family is concerned, she had more reasons not to disappear. I just, I don't feel like she'd just leave on our own accord, and especially not for this long.

She knows my mother and I would not do well without her. Not to mention my children. She had such a close bond with my kids, so it's been very hard for them. We may never know the full extent of what Brittany was going through mentally and emotionally when she walked out the door that January night, but Bethany is sure that the love and closeness Brittany had with her mother and sister and her sister's children

was strong enough to keep her from disappearing on purpose. Is it possible that Brittany disappeared due to misadventure? That she left her boyfriend's house for an unknown reason and walked into the night on her own accord, but fell victim to the elements? In the last 100 years, several disappearances and deaths in towns neighboring Brookfield have been attributed to suspected misadventure. Specifically, misadventure that involved a waterway that state police divers searched early on in Brittany's case.

According to reporting by the Republican newspaper, in February of 1930, the body of 64-year-old Edward Mullen was found in the Quaybog River. He disappeared in November of 1929, and it's believed he accidentally fell into the water. The Springfield Evening Union reports that in October of 1932, the body of Dr. Frank A. Sherwood was found in the woods laying on the banks of that same river. Early reports state that he likely died of natural causes while out in the wilderness. In 1974, 62-year-old Albert Schwenier disappeared from his room at what was then known as Monson State Hospital. A National Guard helicopter located his body in the Quay Bog River days after he went missing.

According to reporting by Kim Ring for the Republican newspaper, on May 5, 2005, police recovered the body of 72-year-old Edward McGuire from the Quay Bog River. His rowboat had been found empty and floating in the waterway the previous week. He died as the result of accidental drowning. There's nothing to say for certain that Brittany walked to the river that night, but it was a place that police felt was worth checking. It would have been less than a mile walk from Brittany's boyfriend's house to the closest river access, so is it possible that she got to the river that night on foot and something happened? A terrible accident on the riverbank? Yes, it is possible.

But search efforts in and around the river have not turned up any evidence Brittany was or is there. At least not evidence that's publicly available at this time. One thing that Bethany can't reconcile about this theory is that her sister may have loved the outdoors, but she wasn't someone who took spontaneous solo adventures in the dead of winter. It was January, so it was freezing, and she hates the cold. So, no, I don't think she would walk on foot anywhere. I don't know if somebody picked her up. That's still like a question we have. Did someone come pick her up? You just go through many scenarios in your head.

And that's another possibility. If Brittany left the house and couldn't drive her car anywhere because it was low on gas or simply unreliable, and if she didn't want to walk alone in the cold darkness, did she get a ride from someone? Did she accept a ride from a familiar face or a stranger and she met with foul play after getting into their vehicle? District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr. said in 2024, quote, We asked for cameras to see if there may have been another vehicle, someone might have pulled up or she might have gotten into another car. We don't have any definitive answers at this point." So again, there's nothing to say that's what happened. There's also nothing that definitively rules it out.

Lastly, and maybe the most revisited theory since day one, is that Brittany didn't actually walk out the door on her own volition that night. It is not surprising or unreasonable that people outside of the investigation continue to question what the occupants of the house may or may not know about what happened to Brittany, given that's the place she was last seen before she disappeared. That's the only confirmation that we have, basically, is there are stories of her leaving the house around 830. They didn't see her, where she went, what direction she went.

To be clear, Brittany's boyfriend and the other individuals living in the house at the time of her disappearance have not been identified as suspects or persons of interest, nor have they been otherwise labeled as having any involvement with Brittany's disappearance. All sources say that the three individuals have been cooperative with the investigation, but they have not spoken publicly to anyone else. They have refused all media requests, and my attempts to contact Brittany's boyfriend and roommates were also unsuccessful. Investigators have returned to the house on Main

Street again and again since the very first days of the search, but there's still no evidence that a crime was involved in this case and thus the house is not considered a crime scene. Social media is a double-edged sword when it comes to a missing persons case unfolding in an internet-fueled world. It paves the way for unfiltered conversations, speculation, and unfounded theories that can be distracting and harmful. And there's a lot of it in Britney's case. But social media can also be an invaluable tool for disseminating information and keeping public attention going on cases that might otherwise fall out of interest for traditional media outlets. It's how I first heard Brittany's name and saw her photo.

The Brookfield community and strangers online continue to talk about Brittany's disappearance in hopes that her name and description and story might reach the right person who is sitting on information that could bring her home. Britt was a big part of the community, so this doesn't just affect me and my mother and my kids and my partner. It affects her friends and it affects her community because there's so many people that have reached out and I miss your sister, I miss her smile, it's just a terrible thing to go through but at the same time the people,

the kindness of people and their kind words and their stories about my sister and they just, it helps you know that they care that they are still around. The very first question I asked Bethany was one I like to start almost every family interview with. I asked, what is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of your sister? Her laugh and her voice, yeah, very distinctive. She had this squeaky, silly laugh, and it's kind of cliche to say they would light up the room, but she did. Bethany shared a few videos with me of Brittany playing with Bethany's children. You can hear Brittany's distinctive laugh as she crawls into a tent meant for a toddler. Auntie's stuck in the tent!

Don't worry everyone! I can't get out! Auntie's stuck! I can't get out! I'm stuck! And the giggles that come as she shares a moment with her niece and another family member, impressed at how big the baby has grown already. Little cutie.

Oh, I'm not a cutie. Holy mackerel, she's heavy. I didn't think she was that heavy. Boy, you weigh a ton. See, it's all in my cheeks. She is a good, kind person. She loves to help people. She was always a helper.

She was a wonderful aunt. She was fun and loved to play with the kids. She was a very good person. At the time of her disappearance, Brittany was described as 5'6'' tall and 120 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black winter coat, a hoodie, jeans and work boots. If you have information that could help bring Brittany T. home, please contact Massachusetts State Police at 508-829-8326 or Brookfield Police at 508-867-5570. Thank you for listening to Dark Down East.

You can find all source material for this case at darkdowneast.com. Be sure to follow the show on Instagram at darkdowneast. This platform is for the families and friends who have lost their loved ones and for those who are still searching for answers. I'm not about to let those names or their stories get lost with time. I'm Kylie Lowe and this is Dark Down East. Dark Down East is a production of Kylie Media and AudioChuck.

So, what do you think, Chuck? Do you approve? Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo