(ConservativeJournal.org) – Authorities in Louisiana are investigating a kidnapping that led to a six-year-old girl being killed. The girl’s name was Erin Brunett and she was found dead in Mississippi.
Daniel Callihan, 36, and Victoria Cox, 32, have been arrested and charged with Erin’s murder. Callihan had been in a relationship with Erin’s mother, Callie Brunett. She was also found dead in her house in Louisiana, about 60 miles east from Baton Rouge. Callie had been reported missing since the beginning of last week, after family members lost contact with her.
Authorities issued an Amber Alert for Erin and her six-year-old sister after Callie’s body was found. Callihan, suspected of having Callie’s car, was instantly linked to the abduction. Erin’s body was later found in a forest near Jackson, Mississippi, while her older sister was found injured but alive and was taken to a hospital. Multiple animal cages were found at the site alongside Erin’s remains, showing evidence of possible human trafficking.
Homicides against women in Louisiana have been on the rise since early 2020. A 2021 report indicated that the rate at which women in Louisiana were murdered by men was 85% higher than the national average.
Both Callihan and Cox, who is Callihan’s girlfriend, were eventually arrested and charged with capital murder and burglary. If convicted, they could face the death penalty. After Callihan was taken to a police station in Jackson, he admitted to murdering Erin. He mentioned having mental health issues and taking antidepressants, and he stated he hopes to be put to death by lethal injection. He did not say or admit anything in regards to Callie Brunett’s death, although he is also a suspect in the case.
The investigation continues as authorities piece together the events leading up to these horrific crimes. If human trafficking proves to be involved, it could lead to uncovering deeper issues in the state.
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