“I can’t help but look at this tree and think there would’ve been two little eyes so excited to see this pink,” Pastor Van Hauser said in tears.
WEATHERFORD, Texas — Parker County officials hosted two vigils for Athena Strand in Weatherford on Tuesday, which is about 30 miles from where the seven-year-old lived in Paradise.
This comes days after authorities said Strand was abducted and murdered by a FedEx driver outside her rural home in Paradise.
The suspect is in custody and facing a capital murder and aggravated kidnapping charge.
Referring to Athena’s family, Dawn Straight, who attended the early Tuesday morning vigil, said, “[Athena’s family has] a whole community outside of the Wise community that are standing with them that love them and care about them and are supporting them. That’s what I’d want them to know.”
Parker County officials lit up the tree in front of the courthouse in pink, which is Athena’s favorite color.
“I can’t help but look at this tree and think there would’ve been two little eyes so excited to see this pink,” Pastor Van Hauser said in tears.
“While you may think we live in a community where all is good and all is well, it is not,” Hauser said. “While you may think that we live in a nation where all is good and all is well it is not.”
County Judge Pat Deen said someone has been arrested in Parker County every week in the past four weeks for aggravated assault of a child.
“It’s gotta stop,” Deen said. “We’ve got to come together as a community as a country, this has got to stop.”
In addition to the morning and night vigils in Parker County, another is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Tuesday in Paradise at the First Baptist Church of Cottondale. Some of Athena’s family is expected to attend.