Mother of abducted child found dead in Mississippi died of ‘multiple sharp force injuries’

JACKSON, Miss. ( WJTV ) – The Tangipahoa Parish coroner released the preliminary cause of death for the mother of the two girls who were abducted and taken to Mississippi.

Coroner Rick Foster said 35-year-old Callie Brunett died of “multiple sharp force injuries.” He said there were multiple stab wounds to her head, neck, chest, abdomen and back. Foster also said Brunett had what appeared to be defensive wounds to her arms.

Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said Callie Brunett was found dead by her father on the floor of her bedroom inside her locked mobile home on North Cooper Road after having been reported missing by her parents 24 hours earlier.

The suspect, 36-year-old Daniel Callihan, is suspected of killing Callie Brunett. Investigators told the Associated Press the two had dated.

Callihan and Victoria Cox , 32, were both arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, last week in connection to the abduction of the two girls and the death of one of them. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade announced on Monday, June 17 that Callihan had implicated Cox in the case.

Both Callihan and Cox were charged with capital murder and sexual battery in Mississippi. They’re facing additional charges in Tangipahoa Parish, as well as federal charges.

Cox made her initially appearance in court on Monday, June 17. She was denied bond on the capital murder charge, and she received a $500,000 bond on the sexual battery charge. Callihan has not made his initial appearance in court.

According to Wade, 3-year-old Erin Brunett was found deceased in a wooded area off of Boozier Drive on Thursday, June 13. Her sister, 6-year-old Jalie Brunett, was taken to a Jackson hospital for treatment.

The Hinds County coroner said Erin Brunett died from asphyxiation due to suffocation.

“I think that if there is a case that would definitely rise to the level of the death penalty, this should be it. Because I still have imprinted in my head the sight of the four-year-old in the woods dead,” said Wade.

The Jackson police chief said there was evidence of possible human trafficking at the location on Boozier Drive, including small animal cages. Wade said Jackson police have contacted the Human Trafficking Divisions of the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) and Hinds County to assess the scene.

Wade said the crime scene in Jackson was processed for three days.

“My question is how and why did you come to Jackson, Mississippi? There were so many places that you could have stopped. There’s so many places that you could have went to, east and west, but you came here. So, we have a lot of questions that still have to be answered. Right now, I have more questions than answers for you, for the community,” the police chief said.

Authorities said the Amber Alert was issued for the two girls, who were abducted after their mother was killed in Loranger, Louisiana, on Thursday.

Wade said he did not believe Callihan was the father of the two children. Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey said Callihan is being held in the Rankin County Jail on a courtesy hold. Cox is being held at the Hinds County Detention Center.

Anyone with additional information about the incident can contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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