A man and a woman have been accused of sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl and imprisoning her with her deceased sister in a pit following the murder of their mother. Daniel Callihan, aged 37, admitted to fatally stabbing his former partner, Callie Brunett, 35, over 50 times before taking her older daughter and her four-year-old sibling. He transported the girls more than 130 miles to Mississippi where he and his accomplice, Victoria Cox, 34, allegedly kept the six-year-old as a “sex-slave,” as outlined in a statement signed by Callihan after pleading guilty to federal charges in August.
The documents revealed that Callihan asphyxiated the younger girl by holding her tightly against his chest after engaging in unlawful sexual acts with her, while the older girl was rescued by authorities on June 13 near Callihan’s residence, where they discovered Brunett’s stolen vehicle. She was found in a pit alongside her younger sister’s remains.
Callihan has pleaded guilty to both federal and state charges related to the offenses, resulting in a life sentence in prison. Cox, facing state charges, was presented with a plea deal during her preliminary court appearance. She is accused of aiding in the heinous crimes, although she was previously indicted on more severe charges including capital murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery.
Prosecutors from the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office have extended a plea agreement to Cox, who has yet to accept or decline the offer, with a deadline at the end of the month to decide.
In another court session, Callihan accepted a similar deal, confessing to capital murder, two counts of kidnapping, and two counts of sexual battery. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the murder and sexual battery charges, along with additional 30-year terms for each kidnapping offense, to be served consecutively with any existing or future sentences from federal court.
During his sentencing, Brunett’s sister, Brandi Hosch, addressed Callihan as a “demon,” expressing the profound impact of his actions on their lives. Callihan was apprehended by police in June after they were alerted to a wooded area where the younger girl’s body was discovered near her sister. A medical examiner determined the cause of death for the four-year-old as asphyxiation due to suffocation. Callihan reportedly confessed to the crimes en route to detention, mentioning his use of medication and acknowledging his mental health conditions.
Cox was apprehended at a nearby motel on the same day as Callihan’s arrest.