Smart County officers confirmed the physique of lacking 7-year-old Athena Strand was discovered deceased Friday night.
On the third day of the seek for 7-year-old Athena Strand a big police presence was seen Friday evening seven miles from the property the place Athena Strand disappeared on Wednesday.
NBC 5 has realized FBI is on the scene.
Sources inform NBC 5 this a “very lively scenario” however to this point officers haven’t mentioned precisely what’s occurring on the distant stretch of street in Smart County.
Smart County Sheriff Lane Akin mentioned concern grows the longer the woman is lacking and that detective work was a better emphasis. On Thursday, a whole lot of volunteers helped with a large search of the world the place the kid disappeared however didn’t find the woman.
“We’re deeply involved about that as a result of it’s been a very long time. That first evening it was 28, 29 levels. And she or he wasn’t dressed actual warmly. We initially thought she was in a jacket however in actuality, she was in a t-shirt with denims and boots. So, we have now quite a lot of concern. The longer it goes the extra we’re involved. However I’m an optimistic man,” Akin mentioned.
As a substitute of asking volunteers to assist seek for the woman, Friday Akin requested anybody with info to return ahead.
Name the Smart County Sheriff 940-627-5971 or FBI at 972-559-5000
“It’s heavy on our minds. Many people have gone with out sleep, so we’re asking for the general public’s assist,” he mentioned.
The sheriff mentioned the woman was alone together with her stepmother Wednesday after her father left to go on a looking journey. He mentioned the stepmother known as 911 to report Athena lacking after a quarrel.
Her aunt Keeland Kulbeth from Oklahoma who got here to affix the search mentioned she will be able to’t imagine Athena would simply stroll away.
“She might have been upset on the dad’s leaving, and will have, I do not know actually, simply from what I used to be informed, she might have gotten upset,” Kulbeth mentioned. “She beloved individuals, beloved animals, beloved flowers. She’s a really girly woman. I simply can’t see her operating off and leaving.”
An Amber Alert was issued for the woman Thursday after she’d been lacking for nearly 24 hours.
“It doesn’t essentially imply we anticipate foul play however we perceive that might be a risk,” Akin mentioned.
Athena had been using a bus to high school in Smart County every day however a number of individuals mentioned she was about to maneuver to stay together with her start mom in Oklahoma, Kulbeth’s sister.
“We now have been informed that,” Akin mentioned.
The sheriff mentioned investigators are speaking with all of the relations and the seek for proof within the case continues.
Sheriff Lane Akin is a retired Texas Ranger with a few years of legislation enforcement expertise.
A number of different companies are serving to within the case.
TEXAS STATEWIDE ALERT PROGRAMS
There are seven sorts of alerts that may be issued for individuals in Texas. They’re listed under with hyperlinks to a web page with extra info.
