A HORRIFYING photo shows a seven-year-old girl in a FedEx truck just moments before the driver murdered her.

The harrowing image of little Athena Strand was taken from inside her killer’s delivery truck as he drove her to her death.

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Athena Strand, seven, was kidnapped and strangled on November 30, 2022, by a contracted FedEx worker delivering Christmas gifts to her family homeCredit: NBC 5 News
 

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Athena Strand’s body was discovered six miles away from her homeCredit: WFAA TV
 

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Tanner Lynn Horner pleaded guilty on Tuesday in courtCredit: Wise County Jail
The little girl has an opened mouth and confused expression as she sits up on her knees in the back of the truck.

The CCTV image taken from just above the driver’s head shows Athena grabbing the sides of the cabin to support herself just a foot behind where her murderer is sat.

Former FedEx driver Tanner Horner, 31, shockingly pleaded guilty on Tuesday to accidentally hitting Athena with his truck, abducting her, and then strangling her to death.

He is facing the death penalty after admitting to killing her on November 30 2022 after abducting her from her dad’s home in Paradise, Texas.

Death penalty sought for FedEx driver charged in Athena Strand’s murder

The stunning admission came in a court room outside Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas at the very beginning of Horner’s trial.

Now, a jury is deciding whether Horner will be sentenced to capital punishment or rot in jail for the rest of his life.

The court heard how Horner told cops the little girl wasn’t seriously injured after he accidentally hit her during a delivery – but he panicked and put her in his van anyways.

He didn’t want her to tell her dad what happened, so he tried to snap her neck.

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When that didn’t work he strangled her to death, an arrest warrant states.

Prosecutors said that version of events was just part of a “pattern and web of lies” from Horner.

The sick ex-driver was delivering a Barbie, which was going to be a Christmas present for Athena, when he struck her while backing out of the driveway.

Athena was missing for two days before her body was recovered and detectives homed in on Horner.

Horner pleaded guilty to two counts: capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.

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Horner is now facing the death penaltyCredit: Facebook
 

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Athena was taken by Horner as he dropped a package off at her family homeCredit: Family Handout
 

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Athena Strand, 7, was kidnapped and murdered in Paradise, TexasCredit: Facebook/shannonmurrayfox4
After the shock plea, prosecutors told the jury that the first words Horner said to Strand were: “Don’t scream or I’ll hurt you”.

Jurors were then warned they would be played audio and video from the day of her death.

Wise County District Attorney James Stainton said: “Somebody covered up the camera because they don’t want you to see. Guess what? Audio is still running, and you’re going to hear it.

“You’re going to hear what a 250-pound man can do to a 67-pound child. And when I say it’s horrible, I mean it. I’ve been doing this [for] 25 years, and I promise you, buckle up.”

The seven-year-old had returned from school at around 4.30pm, before heading up to her bedroom.

Her stepmother is said to have reported her missing at approximately 6.40pm after being unable to find Athena.

Her body was found about six miles away from Paradise in the nearby town of Boyd on December 2.

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Police said evidence suggests Athena was killed within an hour of being kidnappedCredit: WFAA TV
 

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Police used helicopters, drones, thermal-imaging cameras, horses, dogs and ATVs to try and track down the schoolgirlCredit: WFAA TV