A young girl who was reported missing from her home in the US has been found dead. Athena Strand, 7, went missing in Paradise in Texas on Wednesday sparking a vast search. Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved as well as members of the local community.
On Friday evening Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin held a press conference saying he wanted to "send out condolences to the family of Athena Strand." As reported by the Mirror, the sheriff became emotional as he announced that during the search a "body had been recovered".
He said: "It hurts our hearts to know that the child died. So much so, that she is on her way to the medical examiner's office, and there's a Texas ranger in front of her, and there's a Texas ranger behind her".
Police said that Athena's body was found a few miles away from her home. Investigators determined that a contract FedEx delivery driver "had abducted Athena" from her home and believe she died "within an hour or so" of being taken.
Police named the suspect as Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, from Lake Worth, Texas. He is being held in county jail and is charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.
Police said Horner has confessed to the crime and his bond is set at $1.5 million. Horner did not know Athena nor was he related to her, Sheriff Akin added.
The FBI said they were able to locate the suspect driver after partnering with FedEx to compile digital evidence.
Sheriff Akin said he had spent time with the family and that they were "devastated and angry." He added that they were however grateful for the support of the community at such a devastating time.
Akin, who has been in law enforcement for 50 years, urged the press to "give them the privacy they need" before adding that this was "one of the toughest investigations" he'd ever been involved in.
"Anytime there's a child that dies, it just hits you in the heart," he said. "You compare that child to your own children when they were that age. It just takes the wind out of your sails."
An Amber Alert was issued on Thursday for Athena after she vanished the night before.
The 7-year-old was reported missing by her stepmother to the Wise County Sheriff's Office at 6:40pm on Wednesday after the family spent an hour looking for her.
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