Body Found After Amber Alert Issued for Wise County Girl

Athena Strand [Wise County Messenger]

Update at 10:30pm Friday:

Wise County investigators announced they found the body of a missing 7-year-old who was subject of an Amber Alert.

Investigators made the announcement late Friday night after police closed a portion of County Road 4599 several miles from the girl’s home.

Police had said Athena Strand left the home after an argument with her stepmother.

The investigation continues.

Update at 7:00pm Friday:

A large police presence took place Friday afternoon along County Road 4599 which is about ten miles from Athena’s home.

Police would not confirm if the presence was related to the Amber Alert investigation which is ongoing.

Earlier Friday, Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin says investigators have changed the focus of the investigation.

“Now it’s more investigation than search,” Akin says. “We will still do some spot searching as information comes in.”

Investigators had asked volunteers to stay away from the search area.

Original Story:

PARADISE (WBAP/KLIF News ) – The Wise County Sheriff’s Department is among several enforcement agencies searching for a little girl who vanished Wednesday night.

A mother called authorities around 7 p.m. and said that she had been looking for her daughter, 7-year-old Athena Strand, for about an hour.

Athena was last seen at the 200 block of Country Road 3573 in Paradise. She’s white, 4″ tall, 62 pounds with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes.

She was wearing a plaid jacket, jeans and boots.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wise County Sheriffs Department at 940-627-5970.

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