True Crime with Kendall Rae

Episode: Vanished After Texting “I’m Scared”?! The Disappearance of Brookelyn Farthing
Date: December 11, 2025
Host: Kendall Rae (Mile Higher Media & Audioboom Studios)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Kendall Rae brings renewed attention to the haunting, unsolved case of Brookelyn “Brooke” Farthing, who vanished in 2013 after sending a chilling text: "I'm scared." With only scattered local media coverage, Kendall seeks to raise national awareness and advocate for justice, keeping the victim's story and her family’s hope alive. The episode walks through Brooke’s life, the bewildering circumstances of her disappearance, suspicious details surrounding the last person to see her alive, as well as community theories, law enforcement frustration, and ways listeners can help.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Brooke Farthing: Her Life and Background

• Brooke’s Background
  • Born August 24, 1994, in Berea, Kentucky.
  • Raised by her mother Shelby and stepfather Randall; middle child between sisters Tasha and Paige.
  • Remembered as “laid back…a girly girl who enjoyed hair and makeup, but also a country girl” (05:20).
  • Active in Girl Scouts, volunteering, and cherished family time, especially baking with her mom.
  • Had a serious relationship with Jared, her ex-fiancé, with whom she stayed on good terms after breaking up.

The Day of Disappearance – June 21, 2013

• Morning and Family Time (11:24)
  • Brooke spends the day taking her driver's test (passing, while her younger sister didn’t), celebrating with family at her grandfather’s 70th birthday.
• Evening Plans: The Field Party (11:50)
  • Attends a rural field party with her sister and cousin; her planned overnight friend leaves with a boy after an argument, so Brooke seeks a new ride home.

Key Events Leading to Disappearance

• Interaction with Joshua Hensley (13:11)

  • Brooke and a drunk friend get a ride from Joshua "Josh" Hensley—a 23-year-old, notable for being significantly older than most partygoers and known to Brooke through her ex, Jared.
  • “It’s pretty weird to me that he was even at this party… he was 23 years old and just hanging around this high school party.” (13:21, Kendall)
  • After dropping the drunk friend off, Josh takes Brooke—not home—but to his own foreclosed, unlit, isolated house.

• Brooke’s Distress (~15:50)

  • Brooke immediately tries to find a way home, contacting her sister, cousin, and finally Jared, indicating discomfort and fear at Josh’s house.
  • Text exchanges with Jared are chilling, particularly:
    • “Can you hurry?”
    • “Please hurry.”
    • 4:26am: “I’m scared.”
      (18:31, text messages recounted by Kendall)
  • At 5:00am, her tone suddenly, suspiciously changes: “Never mind, I’m going to a party in Rock Castle County.” Jared doesn’t see messages until later; Brooke never replies again.

The Aftermath: Investigation and Suspicion

• The Next Morning (June 22, 2013) (23:29)

  • Brooke misses a planned car show meetup. Her friend notifies the family, who become immediately concerned and start calling everyone, including Josh.
  • Josh claims he left Brooke at his house to “tend to his horses,” and she supposedly was “sitting on his couch having a cigarette, talking about a party in Rock Castle County.”
  • He calls her sister Tasha later, saying Brooke left all her belongings—including purse, overnight bag, and boots—at his house, but he’s now outside the house “looking at the items through a window,” claiming he can’t get in because his couch is on fire.

• The Couch Fire (25:00)

  • Fire is contained only to the couch—the very spot where Josh last claimed Brooke was—raising massive red flags.
  • “The flames didn’t spread anywhere else, but they were definitely intense. The couch was burned down to the metal frame, and there was damage to the floor underneath as well, but nothing else… makes no fucking sense.” (25:29, Kendall)
  • No evidence Josh called 911 about the fire.

• Tracing Brooke’s Last Movements

  • Law enforcement find no evidence such a party in Rock Castle County existed or was communicated to Brooke.
  • Her phone didn’t shut off for 2–3 days, receiving thousands of unanswered calls/texts.
  • Final location: Phone last pinged in Blue Lick area, 30 miles away—a remote, rugged, heavily searched region yielding no evidence.

Community Response & Continued Frustration

• Small-Town Impact (28:30)

  • The case shocked Berea’s close-knit, low-crime community. Despite initial hope, rumors, and exhaustive searches, the case turns cold.

• Josh Hensley’s Criminal Record Emerges (30:20)

  • In 2020, Josh is arrested and convicted on charges relating to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse materials—further casting suspicion, though law enforcement never names him a suspect in Brooke’s case.
  • “It was very clear that this man does not care about harming others, and he’s, in my opinion, a danger to society.” (30:50, Kendall)

Theories and Analysis

Main Theory: Foul Play by Josh Hensley

• Brooke’s urgent texts and abrupt message change suggest an external party may have sent her last text to Jared.
• Suspicion falls on Josh due to:
  • His inconsistent stories about what he did after leaving Brooke.
  • Brooke’s left belongings and the inexplicable couch fire.
  • His later conviction for serious offenses involving minors.
  • The remoteness of his house and his possible knowledge of concealed locations for hiding evidence.
• “The answers seem like they would be right in front of us, but it’s still unknown. I truly believe that this case could be solved. It seems like it is solvable.” (41:00, Kendall)

Alternative Theories (deemed less likely by Kendall & community)

• Stranger abduction/hitchhiking scenario: Unlikely due to the lateness and rural setting, plus absence of evidence she left on foot.
• Brooke left and fell victim to an accident or animal attack: Unlikely, given extensive searches and left belongings.
• Fire as an accident (e.g., cigarette while smoking): Dismissed as implausible given intensity and containment of the burn.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I cannot believe this case has not been solved. It seems like it should have already been solved. And for whatever reason, it’s been over a decade and it still hasn’t been.” (03:43, Kendall)
• “She was known to be a fiercely loyal person… normally the one that would come along and smooth things over, kind of mend it.” (04:40, Kendall)
• “At 4:26, she texted him, ‘Can you hurry?’ Immediately followed by, ‘Please hurry.’ And then she said, ‘I’m scared.’ Which is just beyond concerning and disturbing…” (17:00, Kendall)
• “The flames didn’t spread anywhere else, but they were definitely intense. The couch was burned down to the metal frame, and there was damage to the floor underneath as well, but nothing else… makes no fucking sense.” (25:29, Kendall)
• “You would think that his arrest would have been major news, right? I mean…the last known person to have been with a missing younger girl…and now he’s facing charges like this. It’s a big deal! Or it should be.” (31:08, Kendall)
• “It drives me insane…and God, it makes me crazy thinking about that. I cannot imagine what it’s like to live a day in the lives of her loved ones.” (33:40, Kendall)
• “The answers seem like they would be right in front of us, but it’s still unknown. I truly believe that this case could be solved. It seems like it is solvable.” (41:00, Kendall)

Key Timestamps

• 03:27 — Introduction to Brooke’s disappearance and motivation for episode
• 11:24 — Events of the day and night Brooke went missing
• 15:50 — Brooke’s texts from Josh’s house: “Can you hurry?…Please hurry…I’m scared.”
• 23:29 — Family learns of her disappearance, calls Josh, begins frantic search
• 25:00 — Details on the odd “couch fire” and Josh’s conflicting statements
• 28:30 — Community’s reaction, widespread searches, case turns cold
• 30:20 — Revelation of Josh Hensley’s later criminal conviction
• 36:00 — Deep-dive into alternate theories and analysis
• 41:00 — Advocacy segment: pushing for FBI involvement and how listeners can help
• 46:20–47:15 — Kendall’s final reflections and heartfelt address to Brooke’s family

Calls to Action & Information

• Kendall urges listeners to join an email campaign to request the Kentucky State Police involve the FBI, with a copy-and-paste template provided in the episode links.
• Support and encouragement can also be given at findbrookfarthing.com and the Facebook page “Missing Brooklyn Farthing.”
• Anyone with information is asked to call Kentucky State Police at 859-623-2404.

Tone and Closing

Kendall Rae’s approach is empathetic yet direct, often expressing frustration at the lack of progress and highlighting the chilling strangeness in Brooke’s last communications and circumstances. She maintains respect for the legal presumption of innocence but doesn’t shy away from voicing suspicion based on the record, calling for renewed investigative vigor and community support to finally bring Brooke’s family answers.