A six-year-old girl was rescued metres away from her murdered sister after their mum was also brutally slain.
Mum Callie Brunett was reported missing on Tuesday morning before being found murdered inside her bedroom in Loranger, Louisiana, last week. One of her daughters, Erin, 4, was found dead in a wooded area south of Jackson, Mississippi, however, her 6-year-old sister, Jalie was found alive but injured yards away from the body of her younger sister.
Jalie was taken to the nearby Jackson hospital to receive treatment for the minor injuries and is now safe with her grandparents at their home.
The 35-year-old mother was reportedly in an "on-and-off relationship" with her estranged boyfriend, Daniel Callihan, who is the primary suspect in this case alongside his possible girlfriend, Victoria Cox.
READ MORE: Missing tourist found dead on Greek island amid spate of disappearances
Brit 'saw her insides' after being cut open by propeller on luxury diving trip
Erin, 4, was found dead in Jackson, Mississippi and her 6-year-old sister, Jalie was found alive but injured yards away in a car.
The 35-year-old mother was reportedly in an "on-and-off relationship" with her estranged boyfriend, Daniel Callihan. (Jackson Police Department)The cops suspect a possible case of "domestic violence" spiralled out of control, and they also discovered shocking evidence of human trafficking in the daughter's abduction due to small animal cages, confirms Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.
"Callihan is accused of committing brutal and heinous acts of violence, including the murders of 35-year-old Loranger resident Callie Brunett and her four-year-old daughter, Erin," according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Facebook post.
The incident came to light when Callie's parents complained of not hearing from her to her ex-husband who then visited the mother at her home in Loranger, Louisiana, found her dead and the daughters missing. They immediately called 911.
Louisiana State Police and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office immediately issued an Amber Alert on 13 June after the emergency call that led to the discovery of Erin's body in Mississippi.
Joseph Wade, Jackson police Chief gave details about the brutal homicide in a press conference on Thursday last week.
Callihan is currently held in Rankin County jail. (Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Offi/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock)"Horrible, horrible, tragic situation. You don't want to see that as a police chief, you don't want to see that as a father, to see this baby on the ground that has lost her life. This is an innocent 4-year-old child," he said.
Talking about the daughter's abduction by Callihan, he said, "This has sent shock waves across the Gulf South that this actually happened.
"He killed the mother. Took her children. Brought the children to Jackson, Mississippi. Killed one of the children. And probably if law enforcement hadn't intervened, the other child would probably be deceased as well," Joseph added.
"Based on the crime scene, what it looks like, this may be the place where there has been some human trafficking done, we see cages, small animal cages. This is very, very disturbing to me as a police chief and as a father to witness and see what I saw.
"We don't know if there are other children in the woods. If this individual has used this location as a location to traffic children and abduct children, we want to make sure we have that evidence to make sure him and whoever else is prosecuted for this heinous, heinous, terrible act."
Cowboy gored to death by bull in New Year's Eve rodeo tragedy
Callihan and Cox have been arrested on charges of capital murder and sexual battery. (WLBT3)Callihan and Cox have been arrested on charges of capital murder and sexual battery, facing the possibility of the death penalty if convicted. Callihan is currently held in Rankin County jail, while Cox is detained in Hinds County jail.
"She will be held accountable for her actions and role in this horrific event that happened," Joseph confirmed, "She could be facing capital murder charges along with him."
Callihan admitted to the murder and abduction of the sisters to a bunch of reporters, and said, "I did it."
During an interview, he said, "For what I did, lethal injection is the easiest thing for me." Reports suggest he has been taking an antidepressant, and is known to have been suffering from mental health problems.
However, Callihan did not make any statements linked to Callie's death but investigators suspect him to be the primary suspect in the killing.
Brunett's car, a black 2012 Chrysler 200 with Louisiana license plate 859GML, is also missing (Tangipahoa Parish Sherriff's Office)Multiple law enforcement agencies assisted in the search for the sisters, including the Jackson Police Department and the FBI, which announced it's opening a "full investigation into the Brunett matter."
"The FBI has now opened a full investigation into the Brunett matter. We will continue to collaborate with our local law enforcement partners at the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Police Department," the FBI confirmed.
"The FBI is dedicating all available resources and tools at its disposal to this investigation, including Victim Services personnel, who are working closely with the survivors of this unspeakable tragedy."
Mississippi's Bureau of Investigation who is also investigating the case said, "MBI will pursue any charges on the state level of the investigation and continue working with all local and federal partners involved."
Both agencies have declined further to comment due to the ongoing investigation.
A GoFundMe has been created for the mother and the daughters, and has raised $33,476 in just a matter of three days.
It reads: "In loving support of the Brunett family in a time of unimaginable suffering. Funds raised will go toward funeral costs for Callie and Erin, and to help support little Jalie and the Brunett family as they navigate through this tragedy."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
