FBI investigating deaths of Louisiana woman, daughter; alleged accomplice arrested

JACKSON, Miss. — A man is facing charges after a woman was found dead in Loranger, Louisiana on Thursday. Her two daughters were abducted and one of them was found alive in Mississippi. The other girl was found dead nearby.

Update 12:08 p.m. EDT June 14: The FBI has confirmed that it is investigating the deaths of Callie Brunett and her daughter 4-year-old Erin Brunett.

WVUE shared a statement on the social media platform X from federal authorities that said, “The FBI has now opened a full investigation into the Brunett matter.”

Meanwhile, police in Jackson, Mississippi, said they have arrested an unidentified accomplice in the case, WAPT reported. The woman, whose name was not released, was arrested at a Jackson motel.

Chief Joseph Wade said there may be a link between where the children were found and human trafficking.

“Based on the crime scene, what it looks like, this may be the place where there has been some human trafficking done,” Wade said, according to WVUE. “We see cages, small animal cages. This is very, very disturbing to me as a police chief and as a father to witness and see what I saw.”

Original report: Daniel Callahan was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, in connection with homicide, according to WDSU. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office was notified by U.S. Marshals in Mississippi of Callahan’s arrest.

Callahan reportedly was dating Callie Brunett who was found dead in her house in Louisiana. Investigators believed that he was connected to her death and the abductions of her two young daughters, The Associated Press reported.

Brunett was reported missing after no one heard from her since Tuesday, Travis said, according to the AP. Her cause of death has not been released.

The two young girls were found hours later in Mississippi after an Amber Alert was issued by Louisiana State Police, WDSU reported.

The sheriff’s office said that Callahan led them to the car. Jalie Brunett, 6, was found alive, WDSU reported. Her sister, Erin Brunett, 4, was found dead.

“He had the victim’s car along with her alive-and-well 6-year-old child,” said Chief Deputy Jimmy Travis of the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana, according to the AP. Near the car, authorities found the body of the 4-year-old.

Authorities are working on determining Erin Brunett’s cause of death, WDSU reported.

“This was just an unspeakable crime,” Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said, according to the AP. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims’ family. It was a horrendous tragedy.”

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