A man who subjected a six-year-old girl to horrific abuse has avoided the death penalty by agreeing to plea bargains in a case that is truly shocking.
In the events of June 11, 2024, Daniel Callihan, 37, brutally attacked his former partner, Callie Brunett, 35, with more than 50 stab wounds. He then abducted her two young daughters, aged six and four, and drove them over 130 miles away. The situation worsened as he proceeded with his abhorrent actions.
Callihan tragically ended the life of the four-year-old girl by suffocating her while sexually assaulting her, purportedly with the help of accomplice Victoria Cox, 34. The older sibling was then held captive in a squalid pit, described as a “sex slave,” next to her deceased sister. Two days later, a family member found Callie’s body and reported the disappearance of her daughters.
On the same day, People magazine revealed that Callie’s stolen vehicle was located at Callihan’s residence in Mississippi, a significant distance from her Louisiana home, thanks to a collaborative effort by local, state, and federal authorities using license plate readers.
At the property, law enforcement discovered the surviving child alongside her sister’s remains in the pit. A medical examiner determined that the younger girl died from suffocation.
WLBT reported that during the subsequent trial, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens emphasized the horrific treatment of the children, stating, “Both children were abandoned in a pit to decay, covered only by a mattress. No child should ever endure such a fate.”
Callihan was apprehended after leading authorities to a wooded area behind his property, where he had imprisoned the six-year-old girl. He has now been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to multiple charges at both federal and state levels. Cox, charged as an accessory, faces state charges and recently pleaded not guilty in a Mississippi court. Her trial is scheduled for December.
In a disturbing twist, Callihan attempted to attribute his actions to the side effects of his antidepressants, according to a report by Mail Online. He confessed to law enforcement that he was sober and blamed the medication, expressing a desire for the death penalty as punishment.
During Callihan’s sentencing in September at Hinds County Circuit Court, Callie’s sister, Brandi Hosch, referred to him as a “demon” while addressing the court. She condemned his actions and expressed ongoing emotional turmoil for the family. The FBI Special Agent in Charge, Jonathan Tapp, praised the collaborative effort of law enforcement in ensuring justice for the victims’ family and the community.
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