TEHRAN, Dec. 05 (MNA) – A search for a missing 7-year-old Texas girl ended with the discovery days later of her body and a FedEx contract driver being charged in her kidnapping and killing, the authorities said.

The search for the girl, Athena Strand, began on Wednesday in Paradise, Texas, about 40 miles northwest of Fort Worth. Nearly 200 volunteers and numerous law enforcement agencies, using dogs and a helicopter with thermal imaging, participated in the search.

Her body was found on Friday but the authorities declined to specify where, New York Times reported.

The authorities identified the FedEx driver as Tanner Lynn Horner, 31, and said he had been charged with aggravated kidnapping and capital murder of a person under 10 years old.

The authorities said that Mr. Horner did not know the family or the girl and that Athena had been taken from near her home.

MA/PR