“Needs To Be Punished To The Fullest”: Sister Who Spent Years Searching For Disabled Brother Finds Horrifying Truth

A South Carolina woman, who spent years searching for her missing brother, discovered that he was trapped in a living nightmare.

Terisa Hinson learned from the police that her brother was allegedly held captive along with three other adults in the basement of Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr.’s Lancaster home.

Two of the other victims were women that Donnie dated, and the third was the wife of Terisa’s brother.

Donnie Ray Birchfield Jr. was accused of keeping four adults hostage in the basement of his Lancaster home

Man wearing glasses and an orange shirt, related to sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive news.

Image credits: Lancaster County Detention Center

Trigger warning: contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.

Donnie is currently facing charges for trapping the “vulnerable adults” in his basement and stealing money from them, officials said. At least one of them was held for 10 years.

“I wanna know why. Why them? I mean, of all the people in the world, why them?” Terisa said after reuniting with her exploited brother.

Suburban house with trees and bushes outside where sister’s emotional reaction follows missing brother found alive in basement.

Image credits: WSOC TV

The harrowing situation came to light after the passing of the brother’s wife.

Police began investigating after responding to a call about an unattended passing at an address on Churchill Drive in July.

The “vulnerable adult” had passed away on July 24, but it was only reported the next day.

Terisa spent years searching for her brother and learned this year that he was one of the victims trapped in the basement.

“It really makes me sick that I couldn’t do nothing,” she told WJCL.

Terisa Hinson spent years searching for her brother and discovered he was one of the basement victims

Woman with glasses on head showing emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement outdoors.

Image credits: WSOC TV

Reports claimed that Donnie was the son of a pastor who preaches at the Friendship Baptist Church.

The “sick individual” was allegedly using his captive victims’ “funds for his own financial gain.”

Officials said he would physically harm his victims and isolate them from the outside world.

He also denied them food and medical treatment, controlling when they would eat and use the bathroom. Even their cellphones were in his control.

Driveway of a house with parked cars, associated with sister’s emotional reaction after brother found alive in basement.

Image credits: WSOC TV

Terisa said her brother had a developmental disability but was still very independent.

She said he had been living alone until he vanished without a trace a few years back.

When the sister finally saw her brother in the hospital, she said he looked emaciated and “feeble.”

Donnie would control when his victims would eat and use the bathroom

Young man with glasses wearing a blue shirt, symbolizing emotional reaction after missing brother found alive in basement case.

Image credits: Donnie Birchfield/Facebook

User comment on missing brother case, expressing surprise about basement imprisonment and relationships from school days.

“He was like 70 pounds from what they said. He looked feeble,” she told the outlet.

The sister said he seemed to be traumatized by the experience.

“He really didn’t say anything because I think he was still in trauma and shock,” she said. “I walked out the room and busted out crying because it was just so heartbreaking.”

Investigators further found that the deceased woman was not only physically harmed but also denied sustenance and medical treatment.

He allegedly kept at least two of their bank cards in his possession and had the account number of one victim.

The suspect is facing a long list of charges for exploiting his victims and may face more

Sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement showing relief and joy

Image credits: Lancaster County Detention Center

Donnie allegedly used the married couple’s credit card, spending at least $2,000 at Walmart since 2021.

He also spent nearly $12,000 from their bank account to pay off his credit cards in the last eight months.

It is unclear how Donnie knew the married couple.

Middle-aged woman with gray hair smiling softly, showing emotional reaction after missing brother found alive in basement.

Image credits: Terisa Hinson/Facebook

Sister showing emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement.

The basement horror included the exploitation of two women, whom Donnie is believed to have dated.

Officials revealed that the accused man stopped one woman from using her cell phone to contact loved ones.

The other woman was allegedly “physically assaulted numerous times (approximately every day),” court documents said.

Donnie threatened to end the woman’s life and hurt her family, claiming he “knows how to get rid of a body from past experience.”

Terisa said his brother looked emaciated in the hospital and traumatized from the experience

Middle-aged woman showing emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement.

Image credits: WSOC TV

Comment expressing wishes for healing and mended heartbreaks after sister’s emotional reaction to brother found alive

One of the two women had lived in the suspect’s home since 2015, and the other had been with him since September 2024.

It is unclear when the married couple became part of Donnie’s group of hostages, who only left the basement when he allowed it.

“That’s a sick individual right there,” neighbor Darryl Evans told WSOC-TV. “He’s a sick person to do something like that.”

Donnie was arrested on August 1 and faced a list of charges, including four counts of financial fraud, false imprisonment, domestic ab***, and exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

His attorney Michael R. Payne said his client is maintaining his innocence.

Two of the victims found in Donnie’s basement were women whom he dated

Image credits: LOCAL 12

“My client maintains his innocence in this case, and it is important to remember that he is presumed innocent of these allegations,” he told USA TODAY. “We look forward to litigating this case in the court system where facts, evidence, and the rule of law matter. We will have no further comment at this time.”

Donnie could eventually face more charges.

“I’m hoping he gets charged to the fullest extent, honestly,” Terisa said.

Social media post expressing anger over jokes about sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement.

Image credits: Terisa Hinson/Facebook

Terisa shared a social media post last month with the link to a September 23 episode of Dave and Chuck the Freak LIVE and accused them of making a joke out of her brother and sister-in-law’s experience.

“Who ever Dave and chuck the freak are I really don’t appreciate yall making jokes about what my brother and sister in law went through but y’all are some sick motherf***ers,” she said.

“If you have any questions or concerns just hit me up and I will gladly answer them!!! But for you to make fun of someone that went through a traumatic experience is sick!!! And you shouldn’t be allowed on air period,” she added.

“Can you imagine looking for your brother and his wife … and he was being held prisoner in a basement and starved. Disgusting” one commented online

Comment expressing outrage about exploitation of a person with a disability, relating to sister’s emotional reaction after brother found alive.

Comment expressing shock over brother being held prisoner and starved in basement for 10 years after being missing.

Sister showing emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement reunion moment

Comment expressing disbelief about missing brother found alive after years locked in basement with parents unaware.

Text comment by Nancy Tyner expressing opinion that a missing brother found alive case should not have a trial to save taxpayer costs.

Text comment showing a question about repentance, unrelated to sister’s emotional reaction or brother found alive keywords.

Comment expressing strong opinion about a missing brother found alive after years locked in basement case.

Sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement, showing relief and hope.

Comment expressing outrage over a missing brother found alive after years locked in a basement.

Sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive, reunited after years locked in basement, showing relief and joy

Sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother is found alive following years locked in basement, showing shock and relief.

Comment expressing shock and disgust about a missing brother case involving years locked in a basement.

Comment text expressing a call for punishment related to the sister’s emotional reaction after brother found alive.

Sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive following years locked in basement showing relief and joy.

Text post by Susan Kern expressing concern about mentally unstable people in society today.

Screenshot of a social media comment expressing a harsh opinion about a criminal case involving a missing brother found alive.

Text from Melissa Rickman expressing confusion about how people did not know someone was living there, related to sister’s emotional reaction after missing brother found alive.

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