“These are my girls”: Mother shares heartbreaking video of Athena Strand’s sister crying over her disappearance days before the brutal discovery

An emotional video taken by the birth mother of 7-year-old Athena Strand shows the young girl’s sister crying over the absence of her sibling, who was visiting her father in Texas.

The video was recorded days before Athena Strand was reported missing by her stepmother on November 3 and was subsequently found murdered seven miles from her father’s home. Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, posted the video on Monday, December 4, just three days after her daughter’s body was discovered.

The video was posted with a heartfelt message stating, “These are my girls,” adding, “That video of Rye (Athena’s sister) begging for her sissy was Sunday 11/27 when we thought sissy would only be gone a few days.”

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Athena Strand's distraught mother posts heartbreaking video days after her daughter was found dead

Athena and her sister (Image via Maitlyn Gandy/Facebook)

In a Facebook post, Athena Strand’s mother explained that the video that showed the toddler sobbing was taken days before her daughter was reported missing. Gandy said that she told Rye - Athena’s sister seen in the video - that her sister will be back soon in an attempt to console her daughter. Gandy said:

“I kept telling her, “it’s okay, we will see sissy soon.” not knowing how twisted our lives would become.”

Athena Strand was found dead in Wise County two days after her stepmother reported her missing on November 30 while her father was away on a hunting trip. Athena was reportedly visiting Texas after her birth mother, Maitlyn Gandy, who lives in Southern Oklahoma and has sole custody of her daughter, allowed her to spend the fall semester with her father and stepmother.

Gandy explained that Rye, who cried for thirty minutes in the video, reportedly sobs every time her sister Athena leaves home without her.

“I took it because she does this anytime she thinks sissy is going somewhere without her. She cried for thirty minutes straight in the car until she cried herself to sleep. This monster has now extended those feelings for my youngest daughter indefinitely.”

Gandy went on to explain the reaction several family members had following her daughter’s death, describing it as a devastating blow to their lives.

Gandy also penned a powerful note condemning the killer Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, a FedEx truck driver, who confessed to abducting and killing Athena Strand on Wednesday, November 30, after delivering a package to Athena’s family home. The note stated:

“I do not want the b*****d that took my baby from me and brutally murdered her to go to any city, town, county, state, or country without every single person knowing her face.”

Horner was charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. He is being held in Wise County jail with $1.5 million bail.