"From what I understand Shevaun (Pennington) had written a letter and signed it for him to give to the authorities clearing him of any wrongdoing," Leo Studabaker said.

"He gave no indication of when he had last seen her or where she had gone," he added.

Separately, Leo Studabaker told CNN that his brother had spoken with him and "said that he had not touched or harmed her in any way."

"He didn't want to tell us where he is at," he added, speaking from the US state of Michigan, where both Leo and Toby Studabaker are from.

Twelve-year-old Shevaun Pennington is said to have eloped to France from the northern British city of Manchester last week with 31-year-old Toby Studabaker, a former marine discharged last month from the armed forces because of an injury.

French authorities Tuesday said she returned to Liverpool in northern England after spending just two hours in the transit area of Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. British officials have since expressed doubt that she in fact returned to England, saying they did not know where either of the two are located.

WAR.WIRE