Athena Strand was a 7-year-old girl from Texas who went missing on November 30, 2022, after she had an argument with her stepmother and went outside to play. Her disappearance sparked a massive search effort involving hundreds of volunteers, law enforcement agencies, and the FBI. Sadly, her body was found four days later in a wooded area near her home. She had been abducted and strangled to death by a FedEx driver who had no criminal history and confessed to the crime. This is the tragic story of Athena Strand, as told by Reddit users who followed the case closely.
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The Disappearance of Athena Strand
According to Reddit, Athena Strand was last seen around 5 p.m. on November 30, 2022, near her home in Rhome, Texas. She had argued with her stepmother over a toy and decided to go outside to play with her bike and scooter. Her stepmother went inside to cook dinner and assumed Athena would come back soon. However, when she checked on her around 6 p.m., she was nowhere to be found.
The stepmother alerted Athena’s father, who was at work, and they called 911. They also posted on Facebook, asking for help from the community. Soon, hundreds of people joined the search for Athena, including neighbors, friends, family members, and strangers. They combed through the nearby fields, woods, roads, and ponds, hoping to find any clue or sign of the missing girl.
Meanwhile, the police and the FBI also launched an investigation into Athena’s disappearance. They interviewed witnesses, checked surveillance footage, tracked cell phone signals, and issued an Amber Alert. They also questioned Athena’s family members, including her biological mother, who lived in another state and had not seen Athena for years.
The Breakthrough in the Case
On December 4, 2022, four days after Athena went missing, the police announced that they had made a breakthrough in the case. They had identified a person of interest who was a FedEx contract driver who had delivered a package to Athena’s neighborhood on the day she vanished. The driver’s name was Tanner Lynn Horner, a 31-year-old man from Lake Worth, Texas.
, Horner had been spotted by a neighbor driving his FedEx truck near Athena’s home around the time she disappeared. The neighbor had also seen Athena riding her bike in the same area shortly before that. The police tracked down Horner and searched his truck and his home. They found evidence that linked him to Athena’s abduction and murder.
Horner allegedly confessed to the crime and told the police where he had dumped Athena’s body. He said he had seen Athena playing outside and decided to kidnap her. He lured her into his truck with candy and drove away. He then took her to a remote location where he sexually assaulted her and strangled her to death. He then disposed of her body in a wooded area near Rhome.
The police followed Horner’s directions and found Athena’s body in a shallow grave. They also recovered her bike and scooter from his truck. Horner was arrested on charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. He is currently being held in a Texas jail with bonds totaling $1.5 million.
The Reaction of the Reddit Community
The news of Athena’s death shocked and saddened the Reddit community who had been following her case closely. Many users expressed their condolences to Athena’s family and their outrage at Horner’s actions. They also criticized some of the “online sleuths” who had wrongly accused Athena’s stepmother of being involved in her disappearance.
Some users also shared their personal stories of losing a child or being abducted as a child. They offered support and advice to other users who might be going through similar experiences or trauma. They also discussed the issue of child safety and how to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
The Reddit community also praised the efforts of the police, the FBI, and the volunteers who worked tirelessly to find Athena and bring justice to her killer. They also thanked the media outlets who covered the case and raised awareness about it.
The case of Athena Strand is one of the most heartbreaking stories that have ever been shared on Reddit. It is also a reminder of the dangers that lurk in our society and the need for vigilance and compassion. As one user wrote: Rest in peace sweet girl. You deserved so much better.
