The mother of the 7-year-old Wise County girl who was killed last week showed reporters a package on Thursday that was delivered to Athena Strand's home before she died.
"The package contained "You Can Be Anything" Barbies," said Maitlyn Gandy, who lives in Oklahoma, pointing to the item and the Walmart box it had been packed in. "Athena was robbed of the opportunity to grow up to be anything she wanted to be. And this present ordered out of innocence and love is one she will never receive."
Gandy said especially with her daughter's death happening during the holiday season, Christmas will never be the same for the family.
"The joy Athena gave her family and the joy she felt on Christmas is something we will never fill with her again," said Gandy. "That delivery driver admitting to kidnapping and killing my innocent free-spirited seven-year-old daughter on Friday, Dec. 2."
A FedEx driver, Tanner Horner, 31, confessed that he accidentally ran her over with his delivery truck before ultimately killing her, according to an affidavit obtained by KRLD's media partner NBC 5 News.
"At the time of Athena's abduction, she was staying with her stepmother and father in Paradise, Texas, doing what kids do -- playing within the bounds of her father's property on the same land he grew up and played on," Gandy said. "The same land that for 20 or more years he, has siblings and all of his friends had been safe."
Athena had been splitting time between her father's home in Paradise and her mother's home in Oklahoma.
"I was supposed to bring Athena back home to Oklahoma after Christmas break," said Gandy. "Now instead, Athena will be cremated, and she will come home in an urn. Because I'm not anywhere close to being ready to let my baby go."
Gandy fought back tears as she envisioned life without her daughter.
"I will never see her bright blue eyes or her ornery smile again," Gandy said. "I will never be able to hear her say, 'I love you mommy.' I will never be able to do her hair again or to hold her while she sleeps."
Gandy said she will be pushing for companies to implement screening policies to prevent a tragedy like this from happening to another family.
"I was robbed of watching her grow up by a man that everyone was supposed to be able to trust to do just one simple task -- deliver a Christmas present and leave," said Gandy.
Within hours of Athena's disappearance, hundreds of volunteers scoured the area on horseback, ATV and other vehicles in a frantic effort to find her.
"I want to take a moment to thank the community for the outpouring of love and support," Gandy said. "From the moment Athena went missing, this community flew into action, and they have not stopped. I have felt your prayers, I've read your messages and your letters, and I see your pink everywhere."
Gandy said she wants everyone to know who her daughter was.
"She was an amazing little girl who loves dancing, singing and all animals -- dogs, cats, horses, lizards and chinchillas," said Gandy. "She also loves school and all of her friends in the first grade, who are now also struggling with her senseless murder."
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