The child's body was discovered suffocated in the woods across state lines in Mississippi, at a suspected human trafficking site.
Daniel Callihan, 36, faces two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Callie Brunett, 35, and her daughter, Erin.
This announcement was made by Scott Perrilloux, the 21st Judicial District Attorney, during a news conference.
Callihan also faces kidnapping charges for abducting Erin and her 6-year-old sister, who was found alive at the suspected trafficking site.
His girlfriend, Victoria Cox, 32, is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping.
She also faces charges as an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, according to Perrilloux.
The case was brought to light last week when Callie Brunett’s father found her dead in her locked mobile home in Loranger, Louisiana, about an hour north of New Orleans, a day after she was reported missing.
The victim had stab wounds to her head, neck, chest, abdomen, and back, as reported by local CBS and The CW affiliate WJTV.
An Amber Alert was issued hours after Callie was found, according to Law&Crime.
Her father reported that the children were missing, along with his daughter’s black 2012 Chrysler 200.
When a license plate reader tracked down the car, the search for the missing girls led multiple federal and local agencies across state lines into Mississippi.
Erin was found suffocated in the woods behind a residence in Jackson, and her 6-year-old sister was found nearby.
The older girl was hospitalized and then turned over to her grandparents.
Authorities have indicated that the crime scene where the children were found may be linked to human trafficking, according to statements from the Louisiana-based Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Mississippi-based Jackson Police Department.
“We see cages, small animal cages,” said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. “This is very, very disturbing to me as a police chief and as a father to witness and see what I saw.”
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards mentioned that Callihan had previously dated Callie Brunett. After his arrest in Mississippi, Callihan confessed to reporters while being escorted in a yellow jail jumpsuit and handcuffs.
He did not provide a reason for the murders and asked to be executed by lethal injection. “Unfortunately, on Lexapro, sober, no drugs in my system, I did,” he told reporters when asked about the girl's killing.
“I have no reason for what I did. All I want to say is that I was sober and only on Lexapro — and off Lexapro — and I’m also diagnosed with borderline multiple personality disorder.”
“For what I did, lethal injection is the easiest thing for me,” he added as he sat in the back of a police vehicle.
Callihan’s sister told local CBS affiliate WWLTV that her brother had a troubled past.
“My brother’s been in and out of boys’ homes because of his actions,” she said through tears.
“He’s always been deceitful. He’s always been a manipulator.”
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