New law creates 'Athena Alert,' named after Wise County 7-year-old
AUSTIN, Texas - A bill inspired by the disappearance of Wise County 7-year-old Athena Strand is now law in the state of Texas.
Athena’s mother turned her grief and pain into action. The Athena Alert will be put in place to help close the gap between when a child goes missing and without a verified abduction.
Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 3556, also known as the Athena Alert bill, into law Tuesday.
The new law allows for law enforcement to issue an alert for a region when a child goes missing before it is confirmed that there was an abduction.
In December 2022, Athena Strand was abducted and found dead a few days later.
Delivery driver Tanner Horner is charged with kidnapping and killing her after hitting her with his delivery van in December 2022.
Strand was discovered to have disappeared on a Wednesday night, but an Amber Alert was not issued until Thursday afternoon because the case did not fit the qualifications for an Amber Alert.
Under the new law, an Athena Alert would be able to be sent out to a 100-mile area around the disappearance and adjacent counties.
"I would like to thank Governor Abbott and Texas lawmakers for expediting the Athena Alert and for everyone who supported this life-saving legislation," said Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy in a statement. "It has been six months since Athena was killed and every day has been an indescribable struggle. It gives me comfort to know that Athena’s legacy will live on and help save the lives of other Texas children."
"In his heart of hearts, there’s a moment where [an officer] knows it would be beneficial for the community to know that a child is missing, even if it is not known if the child has been abducted," said Gandy’s attorney, Benson Varghese.
Wise County investigators say Horner admitted to police he killed Athena but pleaded not guilty to capital murder and kidnapping charges during an arraignment hearing in May.
Right before the attack, Athena was playing in the front yard of her father’s home. An Amber Alert wasn’t issued until 24 hours later when it met the alert’s criteria.
"Most people I would be willing to bet in this room are a grandparent, a parent or an aunt or uncle. This bill should mean anything to anyone that has those titles," Gandy said.
In April, Athena’s mother testified before lawmakers with the Texas House homeland security and public safety committee.
"I’m asking you guys to support this bill not for Athena because we can no longer help her. But I’m asking you to support this bill for your own children, your own grandchildren and your nieces and nephews. And all of the children that you don’t even know," Gandy said.
Helping to keep her young daughter’s memory alive, the Athena Alert is like an Amber Alert but instead allows quicker action and to activate an alert within a 100-mile radius of where the child was believed to have gone missing or the location from where the child was last seen.
"I don’t one someone to feel how I feel. I don’t want a mother to have to carry home and earn filled with ashes. I don’t want to watch another grandparent mourn the way mine did," Gandy said.
The bill takes effect September 1.
Tanner Horner pleads not guilty to killing, kidnapping Athena Strand
According to an arrest affidavit, Horner confessed to accidentally hitting Strand with his van while delivering a package to her home in Wise County in December 2022.