Posted on 09/12/2007 6:59:47 PM PDT by Libloather
6-year-old girl found hanged in Texas
By PAUL J. WEBER - The Associated Press
Posted on Wed, Sep. 12, 2007
Family Photo via KTVT-TV
Shown in this undated family photo is 6-year-old Hannah Mack of Corsicana, Texas. Her body was discovered Monday, Sept. 10, 2007, hanging inside her family's garage. Police said Wednesday the child was sexually assaulted.
CORSICANA, Texas --A 6-year-old girl was found hanged inside her family's garage and had been sexually assaulted before she died, police said Wednesday.
Authorities have made no arrests or named any suspects since Hannah Mack's body was discovered by her mother on Monday. They are saying little about their investigation.
"I will confirm that the hanging and sexual assault were part of this scenario," Navarro County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Mike Cox said.
Cox said several people have been interviewed and no one has been ruled out as a suspect.
"We don't want to do anything that would compromise a successful prosecution of this case," Cox said Wednesday before abruptly ending a brief news conference.
Neighbors in the rural lakeside community in east Texas are frustrated by the silence so far and worry that a predator remains on the loose.
In a letter to the sheriff's department, Navarro County Judge Vicki Gray said an autopsy of the body showed "a multitude of events that together caused the death of this child." No other details were released.
Dana Mack found her youngest daughter's body in a garage behind the family's secluded home in Navarro Mills Lake, about 65 miles south of Dallas.
Police said Dana Mack began searching after she realized Hannah was missing at a time she would have been getting ready for school.
The mother last saw Hannah sleeping on the couch around 1 a.m., according to Jean Langford, the girl's great-grandmother.
"(Dana) is just devastated. We all are," Langford said. "This is the worst thing that's ever happened to this family. Hannah was our pride and joy. She was our little sweetheart."
Langford said the family had hoped police would be further along in their investigation.
"What makes this so bad is that we still don't know who did this awful thing."
Those concerns are shared by neighbors. They say imaginations in town are starting to run wild.
"My kids sleep in the bed with me," said Pam Gray, who lives next door and whose children rode the school bus with Hannah. "They get off of school and they've heard all the rumors and wild things, and they're terrified."
"I'm just concerned about the kids out there," said Harold Hocutt, 75, a neighbor who knows the girl's family. "Little girls. Little boys. It's just something you don't forget. Every time I drive by (Hannah's house), I cry."
Police asked state caseworkers to not say whether Hannah's family had been investigated by child welfare officers, said Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. She characterized the request as uncommon.
Doesn't seem likely. How about an illegal?
May God be merciful to this innocent little girl.
I’d volunteer to sit on your jury every time too. Sickest thing I’ve read in a long time.
Police said Dana Mack began searching after she realized Hannah was missing at a time she would have been getting ready for school.
The mother last saw Hannah sleeping on the couch around 1 a.m., according to Jean Langford, the girl's great-grandmother.
Some observations:
No mention of her father.
According to Mom's timeline, she was on the couch at 1:00am, and missing/dead in the garage at presumably 7:30 am.
No mention of a boyfriend, either, although undoubtedly police are all over that angle.
Why is a six-year old sleeping on the couch on a school night? Was that normal for her?
Lethal injection is not enough for a monster who could do such a thing.
I know exactly what you’re saying.
I like the way you think.
My God. Is there punishment enough for someone who would do this?
Lord, I pray she arrived quickly in your arms...
Why was Hannah on the couch at 1 A.M. and not tucked into her bed? How did someone get in the house after 1 A.M., sexually assault her and hang her all without disturbing anyone? So many questions, no more time.
Rage? Horror? Disgust? Sorrow? You’re right. Nothing’s adequate.
You get 3 guess and the first 2 don’t count. Can we say Mexico?
What a scary world we live in. The poor child.
Is it me or does it seem more and more crimes are being tight lipped by the Police/Investigators.
Poor lil Angel.
Curse the man that did this.
Prayers for Hannah Mack & the hope the monster who did this to her is caught asap.
I think it’s worse to hear about something like this at bedtime. Looks like I’ll be up for a while!
Mexico?
Right On!! My daughter is an ER Nurse. The worst words a child can hear from her mother:
“Dear, This is my new boyfriend!”
You would think that with a sexual assault and hanging, there should be plenty of DNA evidence to identify this person. Unless its someone just passing through the area, I think they’ll catch them.
Oh, just... Dear God how could anyone do this?
I wish I hadn’t opened this thread.
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