A FedEx driver has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and murdering a 7-year-old lady who went lacking earlier this week.
According to KDFW, Athena Strand acquired off of her college on Wednesday at round 4:15 p.m. to go to her house in Paradise, Texas. The younger lady’s stepmother quickly known as 911 at 6:40 p.m. to report her lacking when she observed that she wasn’t in her room on the time and looked for her for about an hour. CBS News reported that she advised investigators that the 2 argued whereas Athena’s father was not house, an initially, investigators believed that Athena simply ran away. However, that turned out to not be the case.
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A large search was launched throughout Wise County, and the Texas Department of Public Safety then issued an AMBER Alert on Thursday. But on Friday, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin advised reporters that Athena was discovered useless almost 200 yards away from her home. He mentioned:
“It hurts our hearts to know that that child died. So much so that she is on her way now to the medical examiner’s office and there’s a Texas ranger in front of her, and there’s a Texas ranger behind her. This community does not like losing our children. And we can see it because of all the people who came out and helped us throughout this ordeal.”
CNN reported that authorities obtained a tip that led them to find out {that a} contract driver for FedEx named Tanner Lynn Horner had taken the child from her driveway. Akin mentioned the 31-year-old delivered a bundle to the Strand household’s house proper across the time that Athena disappeared, and authorities imagine she was killed inside an hour after her abduction. KDFW famous that police mentioned Tanner confessed to the homicide and has since been charged with capital homicide and aggravated kidnapping.
Following the information of Athena’s dying, FedEx launched a press release on Twitter providing its condolences to the household:
“Our thoughts are with the family of Athena Strand during this most difficult time. Words cannot describe our shock and sorrow surrounding this tragic event. We continue to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities.”
Her mom, Maitlyn Gandy, additionally launched a GoFundMe, saying:
“All donations are being allocated for justice for Athena. We are greatly moved by all of the support shown in the community. Please continue to pray for comfort for the families and first responders and that our goal forward will be to attempt to get justice for Athena and closure for her family.”
She later shared a message on Facebook, calling Athena “innocent, beautiful, kind, intelligent, and just the brightest, happiest soul you could ever meet.” Maitlyn then mentioned her daughter was taken by a “sick, cruel monster for absolutely no reason,” including:
“I don’t want her to be the girl known as the one murdered and discarded by a monster. I want everyone to know, every single person in this world, that this is my baby and my baby was taken from me. I want everyone to know her face and her voice and just how wonderful of a person she is.”
The mother thanked the “hundreds if not thousands of volunteers” and police who helped discover her this week:
“It takes a special kind of person and whether a child is yours or not, working crime scenes involving children are hard. Thank you for finding my baby. I know everyone wishes this would have ended differently.”
At this time, Athena’s reason behind dying is presently beneath investigation. Our hearts exit to Athena’s family members after this unthinkable tragedy.
[Image via Texas Department Of Safety, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, ABC7 Chicago/YouTube]