A man and a 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 former partner, Callie Brunett, 35, over 50 times before abducting her older daughter and her four-year-old sibling. He transported the girls over 130 miles to Mississippi, where he and his accomplice, Victoria Cox, 34, allegedly subjected the six-year-old to sexual exploitation. The younger girl was suffocated to death, while the elder girl was rescued by authorities on June 13 after Brunett’s car was discovered near Callihan’s property, where she was found with her sister’s body. Callihan pleaded guilty to various charges and received a life sentence in prison.
Cox faces state charges and was presented with a plea bargain during a recent court appearance. She is accused of aiding in the criminal acts, although she was previously charged with more serious offenses, including capital murder, abduction, and sexual assault. Prosecutors have extended a plea offer to Cox, giving her until the end of the month to decide.
In a separate court appearance, Callihan accepted a similar plea deal, acknowledging charges of capital murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault. He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the murder and sexual assault charges, along with additional jail time for the kidnapping charges. These sentences will be served consecutively with any future sentences he may receive.
During the sentencing, Brunett’s sister addressed Callihan, referring to him as a “demon” and expressing the lasting impact of his actions on their lives. Callihan was arrested after the discovery of the younger girl’s body and confessed to the crimes while being taken into custody. He attributed his actions to being under the influence of medication and revealed he had mental health disorders.
Cox was apprehended at a nearby motel on the same day.