Family and friends of seven-year-old Athena Strand said their final goodbyes to the young girl who was killed last week by a FedEx driver. Athena’s funeral service was held on Friday morning in Wise County, Texas, according to CBSDFW — exactly one week since law enforcement officials discovered her body after she had been reported missing from her home.
Tanner Lynn Horner is said to have kidnapped Athena after making a delivery to the family house in Paradise, and accidentally backed up his van into her, supposedly unaware that the minor was right behind the vehicle. In a moment of panic and fear, Tanner admitted to the police that he grabbed the youngster and tossed her into the van before strangling and killing her.
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It’s important to note that, according to the police report, Athena was not hurt in the incident which occurred on November 30, but Tanner became so frightened of the consequences that he allegedly tried to break her neck in an attempt to end her life. When that didn’t work, the arrest warrant claims he used his hands to strangle her until she was no longer breathing.
Athena’s body wouldn’t be discovered until December 2 at the Trinity River, which is roughly 10 miles away from her home. Aside from having admitted to the horrendous crime, a surveillance camera inside the van showed the young victim reportedly being put inside the van, as well as the moment her life was taken from her.
During a press conference on Thursday, her mother Maitlyn Gandy remembered her daughter in a heartfelt and moving speech as she tearfully said she’d been robbed of the opportunity of watching Athena grow up.
“Athena’s favorite holiday was Christmas, as it is for many children everywhere. The joy Athena gave her family and the joy she felt on Christmas, is something we will never feel with her again. That delivery driver admitted to kidnapping and killing my innocent, free-spirited 7-year-old daughter on Friday, Dec. 2.”
#AthenaStrand 💔 pic.twitter.com/oxSHknvNyh
— 🅢🅘🅡 🅝🅔🅡🅓🅨 🅐🅓🅓🅘🅒🅣.pdf (@SirNerdyAddict) December 3, 2022
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She added, “I was robbed of watching her grow up by a man that everyone was supposed to be able to trust to do one simple task: deliver Christmas packages and leave.”
Maitlyn also had some words for those who have sent her nothing but support and love during this difficult time of having to come to terms that she’ll never get to see her daughter again. “I have felt your prayers, read your messages and letters, and I see your pink. Everywhere. There are no words to express how thankful I am for the first responders, law enforcement and responding agencies, volunteers, churches, businesses, and all the others I have failed to list.