Thousands Gather in Small Texas Community to Mourn 7-Year-Old Athena Strand
Thousands gathered Tuesday night in a small rural North Texas community to mourn, pray, and comfort the family and friends of Athena Strand, a 7-year-old girl who was murdered a week ago.
Church leaders from across the community led the emotional event on the lawn at the First Baptist Church of Cottondale, where hundreds had gathered six days earlier to search for the young girl.
Athena was reported missing from her home by her stepmother on Nov. 30 in Paradise, Texas. Two days later, authorities found the child’s body was less than 10 miles from her father’s home, where she was living during the fall semester. The girl’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, lives in Oklahoma….