Mississippi Police Discover Dead Mother and 4-Year-Old, Rescue 6-Year-Old Sister in Possible Human Trafficking Case
Police found a 4-year-old girl dead and her 6-year-old sister alive in what authorities suggest could be related to human trafficking in Jackson, Mississippi.
The horrific discovery on Thursday followed the murder of the girls’ mother, 35-year-old Callie Burnett, who was found dead 130 miles away in southern Louisiana the previous day.
The prime suspect in these crimes is Burnett’s boyfriend, Daniel Callihan, as reported by WDSU. Jalie Burnett, 6, was found alive inside a car in a wooded area in Jackson. Nearby, the body of her younger sister, Erin, was discovered, according to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.
“Based on the crime scene, it appears this location may have been used for human trafficking,” Joseph Wade of the Jackson Police Department stated during a press conference. “We found small animal cages at the scene.” Jalie was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries.
Investigators are still determining the cause of Erin’s death. “As a police chief and a father, this is something you never want to see,” Wade said. “A coward took this child from her family.”
Authorities were led to the girls after a bystander reported Callihan’s suspicious behavior. Callie Burnett had been missing for over 24 hours before being found “brutally murdered” in her home in Loranger, Louisiana. Her children were missing when her body was discovered, prompting their father to report them missing on Wednesday morning.
The Louisiana State Police issued an Amber Alert by noon, stating that a man was wanted for questioning in connection with Burnett’s death, which stemmed from a domestic violence incident.
Officials have yet to interview Callihan, who remains a person of interest in the ongoing investigation.
The Post has reached out to local agencies for additional information.
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