Athena Strand, 7, of North Texas, was found dead in Wise County on November 30, two days after her father went missing. The girl’s father is an adult. It is believed that Athena went deer hunting while her father was away,” Wise County Sheriff Lynn Akin said at a news conference.
The mother of 7-year-old Athena Strand, who was abducted by a FedEx driver from outside her Paradise home last week, is speaking publicly for the first time since she was found missing. Organized by Athena, thousands of people gathered outside Cottondale First Baptist Church to give thanks for the death of Mitlin Gandy.
The Driver of FedEx was got caught and arrested on Friday, and he was also charged with the kidnapping and murder of the girl who was kidnapped from the Texas Railway station this week, said the police.
On Friday Night, The dead body of Athena Strand was found, said at the news conference, Arkin. Arkin said on Friday: “It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of our son.”
What happened to Athena Strand?
I have been under intense scrutiny since childhood. My heart breaks every time a child dies. On Wednesday, authorities in Wise County, northwest of Fort Worth, began searching for Athena after receiving reports of her death.
The girl was found dead about 200 yards from her home within an hour of her abduction, officials said. Tanner Lynn Horner, who is just 31 years old, is kept in Jail because of these murder and kidnapping charges, as per his website.
Bail was set at $1.5 million, Arkin said. As of Friday, it was unclear if Homer has an attorney. Authorities identified Horner as the FedEx driver who was delivering packages to Athena’s home when she disappeared. Police said Friday they have a tip that could help investigators determine where Horner drove the girl from her driveway.
Strand’s mother, Matlynn Presley Gandy, wrote on Facebook Saturday morning that her daughter was “possessed by a sick and evil demon.” “The pain and anger I feel are indescribable.” Nothing heightens my feelings like losing you. “…because I’m breathing.”,
An amber warning was issued for Athens on Thursday, December 1. As details slowly emerged, some initially speculated the stepmother was involved. She told police she got into an argument with the 7-year-old before she disappeared on Wednesday, November 30.
The stepmother is not interested in the investigation at the moment. Law enforcement officials found Athena’s body Friday evening in the Trinity River near Boyd Road in Azle, Texas, northwest of Fort Worth, according to the Star Telegraph.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of death but say he died less than an hour after being kidnapped. There were no signs she had been hit by a car, as some believe Horner hit Athena with his FedEx truck.
Athena Strand’s cause of death
Athena Strand argues with her stepmother before disappearing. “She is the cutest, charming, beautiful, smartest of all, and the most lighting soul you’ll ever meet. I don’t want her to be known as a girl who got bit by a monster and left. She’s the part.”
She also spoke. “everyone in the world should know that she was a baby and my sweetheart took me. Everyone should know her face and heart and what a beautiful person she was. Her mother wrote that Athena dreamed of being a Viking princess with her father, two younger sisters, and a pink love tattoo.
Authorities have not yet determined a motive, and Horner does not know the family or the child, Akin said. “It takes somebody special, and whether the child is yours or not, scenes of juvenile delinquency are painful,” she added.
BREAKING: Wise County officials announce they recovered the body of 7-year-old Athena Strand. A FedEx driver is in custody with a $1.5M bond related to her abduction and death. Sending my condolences to the north Texas family😢💔 pic.twitter.com/vaBsVAQBlU
— Tahlia (@TahliaSG) December 3, 2022
Over the next few days, multiple law enforcement agencies, including emergency medical services and a volunteer fire department, along with 200 citizen volunteers, assisted in the search for the missing girl. After an enthusiastic volunteer response, officials decided Thursday to hand the investigation over to law enforcement.
FedEx expressed regret and asked law enforcement to ask further questions.” Words cannot express our shock and sadness at the news of this tragedy.”, according to the report. The search for Strand continued until his body was found on Friday.
Authorities said Strand died an hour after the abduction. The police have not yet clarified the cause of death. Horner’s neighbors told the Star-Telegraph they were “heartbroken” to hear of his arrest. Besides, he didn’t think much of Horner, who lived next door to his mother and grandmother. He comes and goes, they said.