A man and woman are accused of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl and imprisoning her in a pit with her deceased sister following the murder of their mother. Daniel Callihan, 37, admitted to fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend, Callie Brunett, 35, over 50 times before abducting her older daughter and younger sibling. The pair transported the girls over 130 miles to Mississippi, where they held the six-year-old as a captive for sexual purposes. Callihan confessed to these crimes after pleading guilty to federal charges in August.
Tragically, the younger girl was suffocated to death by Callihan while engaging in criminal acts with Cox, who, along with Callihan, was involved in the sexual abuse of the child. Fortunately, the police rescued the elder sister on June 13 after locating Brunett’s stolen vehicle near Callihan’s residence. She was discovered in a pit next to the body of her deceased sibling.
Callihan accepted responsibility for both federal and state charges related to the offenses and has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Cox is facing state charges and was presented with a plea deal at her pretrial hearing. She is accused of aiding in the crimes and faces serious charges including capital murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault.
Prosecutors have extended a plea offer to Cox, giving her until the end of the month to decide. Callihan agreed to a similar plea deal in September, admitting to capital murder, two counts of kidnapping, and two counts of sexual assault. He received a life sentence without parole for the murder and sexual offense charges, along with additional time for the kidnapping charges.
The sentences imposed on Callihan will be served consecutively with those from Louisiana and any future federal sentences. During sentencing, Brunett’s sister addressed Callihan in court, condemning him as a “demon” and expressing the lasting impact of his actions on their lives.
Callihan was apprehended in June after authorities were directed to a wooded area where the younger girl’s body was discovered. He confessed to the crimes while being transported to jail. Cox was arrested at a nearby motel on the same day.
Both individuals are facing the consequences of their heinous actions, with Callihan acknowledging his guilt and Cox awaiting her decision on the plea deal offered to her by prosecutors.