A tragic incident unfolded in Jackson, Mississippi, where a 4-year-old girl was found dead, and her 6-year-old sister was discovered alive in a car parked in a wooded area. The girls’ mother, 35-year-old Callie Burnett, had been found murdered a day earlier in southern Louisiana, approximately 130 miles away. The primary suspect in the case is Burnett’s boyfriend, Daniel Callihan.
The younger girl, Erin, was found dead a few yards away from the car where her sister Jalie was found. The scene also included small animal cages, which led the police to suspect a possible connection to human trafficking. Joseph Wade from the Jackson Police Department shared these observations during a press conference, expressing his shock and sadness at the gruesome scene.
Jalie was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Meanwhile, investigators are working diligently to determine the cause of Erin’s death. The police chief, visibly shaken by the incident, condemned the act, stating, “A coward took this child from her family.”
Callihan was apprehended after a bystander reported him for suspicious behavior. The girls’ mother, Burnett, had been missing for over a day before her body was found in her Loranger home’s bedroom. The children, reported missing by their father, were not at the home when Burnett’s body was discovered.
Authorities believe the children were abducted before 8 a.m. on Wednesday. An amber alert was issued later that day, indicating a man was wanted for questioning in connection with a domestic violence incident that resulted in Burnett’s death. As of now, law enforcement has not had the opportunity to interview Callihan.