THE heartbroken mom of a seven-year-old lady who was kidnapped and killed final 12 months has filed a wrongful loss of life lawsuit in opposition to FedEx and the contracting firm which employed the driving force accused of her homicide.
Athena Strand vanished from her Texas house again in November and was discovered useless six miles from her home a few week later.
After her disappearance, regulation enforcement issued an AMBER alert and police recognized 31-year-old FedEx driver Tanner Lynn Horner as a suspect quickly after.
Horner allegedly confessed to kidnapping and killing Athena and was indicted on expenses of capital homicide and aggravated kidnapping.
Athena was kidnaped from her household's house by the driving force, who was reportedly delivering her items forward of the vacations.
Cops mentioned Horner informed them he had by chance hit the younger lady together with his FedEx truck whereas backing up.
The suspect mentioned he determined to strangle Athena for worry she would inform her dad about being hit.
Now, Athena's grieving mom, Maitlyn Presley Gandy is taking a stand in opposition to FedEx and the corporate that employed Horner - Large Topspin - for his or her “acts and omissions” that led to her daughter's homicide.
Gandy's 18-page lawsuit, filed in Sensible County, alleges FedEx and Large Topspin ought to have gone to higher lengths to forestall the tragedy.
"It's about implementing higher hiring, coaching and supervising practices to forestall vicious killers from arriving at our doorsteps bearing an insignia that has been cultivated to instill belief," the swimsuit reads.
It additionally attracts particular consideration to FedEx's follow of outsourcing labor.
The corporate at the moment depends on 6,000 contractors throughout the nation.
"It's about stopping billion-dollar organizations from insulating themselves from legal responsibility by utilizing fly-by-night contractors as an alternative of acknowledging the duty they bear once we belief them to come back onto our property, to our doorsteps, and even inside our properties," the textual content goes on.
In a press release to WFAA concerning the lawsuit, FedEx mentioned: "Our ideas stay with the household of Athena Strand within the wake of this tragedy.
"We're conscious of the criticism filed in opposition to FedEx Floor."
Topspin is but to reply.
Athena's mother final week thanked the grand jury following Horner's indictment.
"I want to thank the Sensible County grand jury for his or her function on this course of," she mentioned on Thursday.
"Listening to the info and circumstances of my seven-year-old daughter’s kidnapping and homicide was undoubtedly very troublesome for them."
Again in December, Athena Strand's father additionally sued FedEx and Large Topsin.
"Our ideas stay with the household of Athena Strand within the wake of this tragedy. We're conscious of the criticism filed in opposition to FedEx Floor," the corporate acknowledged in response to the swimsuit.
Officers from FedEX assured that contractors are topic to felony historical past background checks as a part of the driving force eligibility course of.
"As is frequent throughout the business and regarded customary employment follow, the background verify course of is run by a 3rd occasion," the corporate reiterated.
Horner, who additionally faces 4 unrelated expenses of sexual assault of a kid from 2013, is being held at Sensible County jail on a $1.5million bond.
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