A Washington man who admitted luring a 12-year-old girl from Nampa, Idaho, to his home in Kennewick and molesting her is out of prison after serving about nine months. The girl’s family says she was found malnourished and has required ongoing treatment in the months since.
Sentence and release
Austin Holbrook, 22, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to two counts of second-degree child molestation and received a three-year, two-month sentence in Benton County Superior Court. He was released from the Airway Heights Corrections Center on April 30 and will remain on supervised probation until April 2029, according to Idaho Statesman.
How investigators say it unfolded
Court records and local coverage say Holbrook met the 12-year-old through the Hily dating app, then drove roughly 270 miles from Kennewick to Nampa to pick her up and take her back to Washington. Investigators say he kept her hidden for nearly a week in his parents' bedroom in Kennewick before a suspicious neighbor called police. A medical exam later found the girl malnourished and dehydrated, according to Tri-City Herald.
Family reaction and the defendant’s remarks
At Holbrook’s sentencing hearing, the girl’s stepfather told the court, “My family will never be the same,” describing the ordeal as devastating for the child and those around her. Holbrook told the judge he regretted what he had done and apologized for the impact of his actions, Idaho Statesman reported.
Prosecutors' decision in Idaho
Canyon County prosecutors initially charged Holbrook in August 2024. By July 2025, they decided not to move forward with a separate Idaho case, saying more prosecution would not lead to “meaningful additional punishment” and would put the victim through additional court proceedings, according to East Idaho News.
Community safety and follow-up
After the case came to light, Nampa police and child-welfare officials issued a community alert and urged anyone who might have had contact with Holbrook to come forward. Local coverage shared investigator phone numbers and victim-support resources, as summarized by NonStopLocal/KNDU.
Broader context
The case underscores how adults can reach minors through platforms intended only for adults; court documents note that the Hily dating app requires users to be at least 18, according to Tri-City Herald. The cross-state nature of the crime and Idaho’s decision not to file additional charges have left the girl’s family and neighbors pushing for more robust online-safety education and outreach.
