Athena Strand's mother Maitlyn Gandy speaks publicly for first time since 7-year-old's death
The mother of Athena Strand, a Texas girl who was found dead last week after being missing for several days, is speaking publicly for the first time.
The FedEx driver accused of abducting and killing 7-year-old Athena Strand was hit with new sex abuse of a minor charges in unrelated incidents that allegedly occurred roughly a decade ago.
Tanner Lynn Horner, a contract driver for FedEx, was already charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in connection to Strand’s death. This week, the 30-year-old was newly charged with three additional counts of sexual assault of a child in unrelated cases out of Fort Worth.
Court records show those alleged incidents occurred in 2013, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth reported.
No additional details were immediately available about those cases.
ATHENA STRAND'S ALLEGED KILLER WAS DELIVERING 7-YEAR-OLD'S CHRISTMAS PRESENT: MOM
Horner allegedly admitted to abducting Strand while delivering a package to her father’s home in Paradise, a town of fewer than 500 people about 60 miles northwest of Dallas. Her body was found on Dec. 2 two days after she was reported missing less than 10 miles away from the property.
Athena Strand, 7, was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by 30-year-old FedEx delivery driver Tanner Lynn Horner. (Wise County Sheriff's Office)
The girl’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, revealed Horner was delivering a package of Barbie dolls intended to be Strand’s Christmas present this year. Strand was to return to Oklahoma with her mother after the holidays and had been staying with her father, Jacob Strand, and stepmother in Wise County.
Maitlyn Gandy gives a statement about the death of her daughter, Athena Strand, 7, at the Wise County Courthouse in Decatur, Texas, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022. (Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram via AP)
According to the arrest warrant, Horner told investigators that he strangled the 7-year-old after accidentally hitting her with his van while making a delivery at her father’s home. He said Strand wasn't seriously hurt after he hit her while backing up, but he panicked and put her in his van.
During a press conference at the Wise County Courthouse in Decatur, Texas, on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, Maitlyn Gandy presented the box that was delivered on the day Athena Strand, 7, was abducted in rural Paradise, Texas. (Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram via AP)
Horner said the girl was talking to him and told him her name, according to the warrant. But the driver said he didn’t want her to tell her father what happened, so he first tried to break the girl's neck and when that didn’t work, he strangled her with his hands in the back of the van, the warrant said.
The warrant said Horner took investigators to where he'd left Athena's body.
His bond was set at $1.5 million. Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said the death penalty will be sought.
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The girl’s father has since sued FedEx and the Texas-based contractor that hired Horner, reportedly seeking $1 million in damages and a jury trial.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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