Henderson, Nev. – A 22-year-old pregnant woman kidnapped earlier this week by her boyfriend was released by him unharmed this afternoon as detectives continued the search.

Brittney M. Nelson, who is 9 months pregnant, told detectives her boyfriend, Robert A. Watkins III, 35, of Henderson, released her about 4 p.m. as detectives were continuing to talk with the couple’s families and friends to locate them. She said she was being held against her will at another location.

Watkins has not been located and faces kidnapping and domestic battery charges.

Once she was released, Ms. Nelson returned to Watkins’ mother’s house on Nebraska Avenue, where she had been staying with her boyfriend, about 4 p.m. Friday. The police were immediately called to the Nebraska Avenue home and detectives found Ms. Nelson unharmed. Ms. Nelson left the home with police.

Police started looking for Ms. Nelson and Watkins on Wednesday about 10:30 a.m. when it was reported that she had been abducted by him. He was seen nearby on Wyoming Avenue pulling her by the hair and grabbing her neck as he forced her to come with him.

Watkins was in court earlier on Wednesday for a trial on domestic battery charges from last August when he was accused of beating and choking Ms. Nelson. He apparently left court and went and sought out Ms. Nelson at their home.

Police contacted Watkins on his cell phone Wednesday. Watkins was agitated and said they were heading out of Nevada. An officer asked Watkins several times to speak with Ms. Nelson during the conversation and he finally handed her the phone. She said she was fine but the officer could detect from her voice that she was under duress and was crying. When Ms. Nelson was asked their location, a struggle could be heard and Watkins got back on the phone. He would not divulge their location.

Watkins is described as a white male, 35 years old, 5 foot 8, weighing about 220 pounds. He has blue eyes and blond hair. He has a variety of tattoos including one above his left eyebrow of his initials “RAW III”.

Anyone who locates Watkins is asked to call 9-1-1 immediately. Anyone with information in this case is urged to call the Henderson Police Department at (702) 267-4913 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit www.crimestoppersofnv.com. Tips directly leading to an arrest or an indictment processed through Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.