A man, described as depraved, avoided the death penalty by accepting plea deals in a shocking case involving the abduction and abuse of a six-year-old girl.

On the evening of June 11, 2024, Daniel Callihan, aged 37, committed a brutal attack on his former partner, 35-year-old Callie Brunett, stabbing her over 50 times. He then took her two young daughters, aged six and four, and drove them more than 130 miles away, leading to even more disturbing events.

Tragically, the four-year-old daughter was suffocated to death by Callihan after he sexually abused her, with alleged assistance from Victoria Cox, aged 34. The older daughter was then held captive as a “sex slave” in a squalid pit, alongside the lifeless body of her sister. Callie’s body was found on June 13 by a family member who reported the disappearance of the two girls.

According to reports by People, Callie’s stolen vehicle was located at Callihan’s residence in Mississippi, a considerable distance from her home in Louisiana, thanks to a collaborative effort by local, state, and federal law enforcement using license plate readers.

Upon searching the property, authorities discovered the surviving child in the same pit as her sister’s remains. A coroner determined that the younger girl had died from asphyxiation due to suffocation.

WLBT reported that during the subsequent sentencing, Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens expressed, “Both children were left in a ditch to rot with a mattress covering their bodies. No child should ever suffer such a fate.”

Callihan was apprehended after leading authorities to a wooded area behind the property where he had held the six-year-old captive. He has since pleaded guilty to federal and state charges, ensuring a lifetime behind bars. Cox, an accomplice in the case, faces state charges and is set for trial in December after pleading not guilty in a Mississippi court pretrial hearing.

In a disturbing twist, Callihan attributed his actions to the side effects of his antidepressants, as reported by Mail Online. He admitted his sober state and blamed the medication, expressing a lack of justification for his deeds.

Revealing his lack of remorse, Callihan stated, “I would kill me… For what I did? Lethal injection is the easiest thing for me. I am not pretending to be crazy. I am certified. I have only been out of the nut house for two weeks.”

During Callihan’s sentencing at Hinds County Circuit Court in September, Callie’s sister Brandi Hosch emotionally labeled the perpetrator as a “demon,” condemning his actions and expressing the family’s ongoing anguish.

Following the sentencing, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp commended the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies in ensuring justice for the victims and the community, preventing further harm by Callihan.

<p class="Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh " data-tmdatatrack="content-unit" data-tmdatatrack-type