Thousands Gather in Small Texas Community to Mourn 7-Year-Old Athena Strand

Thousands gathered at First Baptist Church in Cottondale, Texas, on Dec. 6, 2022, to remember Athena Strand, 7, who was abducted and murdered on Nov. 30, 2022. Jana J. Pruet/The Epoch Times

Thousands gathered Tuesday night in a small rural North Texas community to mourn, pray, and comfort the family and friends of Athena Strand, a 7-year-old girl who was murdered a week ago.

Church leaders from across the community led the emotional event on the lawn at the First Baptist Church of Cottondale, where hundreds had gathered six days earlier to search for the young girl.

Athena was reported missing from her home by her stepmother on Nov. 30 in Paradise, Texas. Two days later, authorities found the child’s body was less than 10 miles from her father’s home, where she was living during the fall semester. The girl’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, lives in Oklahoma.

Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, allegedly admitted to abducting and killing Strand while delivering a package to her home, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin said during a press conference. Akin said authorities received a tip that led them to Horner, a contracted FedEx worker. The suspect did not know the girl’s family, according to Akin. Horner is charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. He is being held in the Wise County Jail on a $1.5 million bond.

Mourners, many wearing pink clothing and pink ribbons to honor Athena, whose favorite color was pink, held candles and joined church leaders in singing “Amazing Grace” at the start of the prayer vigil.

Gandy, whose hair was dyed pink, thanked the community and all who assisted in the search and recovery of her daughter’s body.

“I just want to keep her face and her story alive because I want everyone to know Athena for Athena, and not for what someone tried to make her out to be because she was the best little girl,” Gandy said. “She really was.”

A large portrait of Athena Strand was displayed at a prayer vigil at the First Baptist Church at Cottondale, Texas, on Dec. 6, 2022. Jana J. Pruet/The Epoch Times

Lindsey Thompson, Athena’s school teacher, described Athena as always happy.

“Athena loved to dance and create her own dance moves,” Thompson said, adding the young girl loved animals, the color pink, her family, and her sisters. “I know she’s in a paradise even better than our beloved Paradise.”

Classmates wrote letters to Athena’s family.

“Please don’t worry. She is not dead. She is in heaven. She is in a very safe place,” classmate Phillip Erickson III wrote in a letter read by Thompson. Phillip is the son of Associate Pastor Phil Erickson Jr. at First Baptist Church at Cottondale.

The elder Erickson, a father of four sons, told The Epoch Times he was at the church the night Athena went missing. He recalled her joyful spirit.

“I’ve never seen her not smiling,” Erickson said. “Her smile lit up the room.”

Chris Hurst, the lead pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Paradise, offered comfort to those wondering how God could allow this to happen to Athena.

“Why didn’t God save Athena?” Hurst said. “My answer is, He did.”