Man charged in 4-year-old girl’s death admits to the crime

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    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — The man arrested in the death of a 4-year-old Louisiana girl admitted to the crime.

After questioning, Daniel Callihan was taken from the Jackson Police Department headquarters. He was asked if he killed Erin Brunett. He responded saying, “Unfortunately, on Lexapro, sober, no drugs in my system, I did it.”

Callihan was arrested in Jackson Thursday and is being held in Rankin County. Callihan is also accused of killing the girls’ mother, Callie Brunett in Tangipahoa Parish and then abducting Erin and her sister.

A woman who police said was an accomplice in the crime is now facing a capital murder charge.

Victoria Cox, 32, was arrested Friday morning at the OYO Hotel on Interstate 55 South. The hotel is a few miles away from McCluer Road and Boozier Drive, where the body of 4-year-old Erin Brunett was found. Brunett’s 6-year-old sister was found alive at the crime scene.

Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said the surviving girl was taken to a hospital. Her grandparents later picked her up and returned her to Louisiana.

Wade said Cox is possibly Callihan’s girlfriend.

“We’re still trying to determine her exact role,” Wade said. “She will be held accountable for her actions and her role in this horrific event that happened that spanned from Tangipahoa to South Jackson.”

It is unclear whether Callihan will be extradited back to Louisiana due to Jackson police uncovering a possible human trafficking site, as well as the separate homicide investigation in Mississippi.

The FBI is now leading the investigation. FBI agents returned to the scene Friday where the child’s body was found.

“We will continue to collaborate with our local law enforcement partners at the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and Jackson Police Department,” FBI officials said in a statement. “The FBI is dedicating all available resources and tools at its disposal to this investigation, including Victim Services personnel, who are working closely with the survivors of this unspeakable tragedy.”

The FBI asked anyone with information that can help with the investigation call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

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