The little girl cried out, “I want my mama,” when Tanner Horner was murdering her, jurors heard in an audio recording

Athena Strand.Credit : Wise County Sheriff’s Department

Tanner Horner initially lied to his mother about how Athena Strand died, she testified in court.

On Wednesday, April 22, Horner’s mother said from the stand that her son told her that he had backed into a girl on Nov. 30, 2022 — and then, because he panicked, that he killed her by strangling her.

Asked whether she believed something else now, she replied, “Yes, I do,” NBCDFW reports.

Shortly after, his mother, whose face was blurred out and whose name was not disclosed in live coverage of the trial aired by NBCDFW, began sobbing. She was asked if she understood what happened after watching the trial and she said repeatedly, “I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

She left the courtroom and Horner’s great aunt took the stand.

As PEOPLE previously reported, Horner, 34, pleaded guilty on April 7 to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping in the death of the first-grader on Nov. 30, 2022, in rural Paradise, Texas.

Now, during the punishment phase of the trial, jurors are weighing whether to sentence him to life in prison without parole or to death.

On Thursday, April 16, the prosecution rested its case in the trial’s punishment phase after showing jurors devastating video of the 7-year-old’s last moments and playing audio of her fighting for her life.

The sentencing phase of the trial resumed on Wednesday, April 22, with the defense presenting its case for why Horner should be spared the death penalty, KDFW reports.

Earlier this week, when jurors were not in court, doctors testified that Horner suffers from developmental delays stemming from when his mother drank when she was pregnant with him, NBCDFW and KDFW report.

Athena Strand in Tanner Horner’s truck during her abduction.NBC DFW/YouTube

One expert said Horner has “pretty serious things wrong with his brain,” and another said he “cannot negotiate demands of the real world,” but understands right from wrong, NBCDFW reports.

Athena Strand’s Final Moments

In court on Thursday, April 16, jurors were shown video footage and heard audio recordings of the little girl’s last moments alive.

Jurors saw how moments after Horner dropped off a package at Athena’s house on Nov. 30, 2022 — filled with Barbie dolls for Athena for Christmas — he opened the doors in the back of his truck, lifted her up and then put her inside, NBC DFW and the Star-Telegram report.

“What are you doing?” the little girl was heard asking him in video shown to jurors. “Are you a kidnapper?”

Seen kneeling on the floor while holding onto the sides of the doorway leading to the cargo area, Athena asked Horner, “Where are we going?” the Star-Telegram reports.

“It doesn’t matter,” he replied.

He told her to sit down and be quiet or else he would hurt her.

At this point, he covered the camera inside the truck, NBCDFW reports. But audio of what went on inside was still being recorded.

Horner then asked Athena how old she was, and about her school.

The conversation took a sickening turn when he said, “You’re really pretty, you know that?”

After the truck stopped, Horner ordered Athena to take off her shirt. She could be heard saying “no,” and telling him she wanted her mother, NBC DFW reports.

Jurors then heard sounds of banging and choking and Athena screaming and crying, the Star-Telegram reports.

Some jurors were crying when they heard what was happening to the little girl, NBCDFW reports. Her parents left before the video began.

Athena, who stayed calm during her abduction and had the wherewithal to question her abductor, fought back when Horner was attacking her, prosecutors said, according to the Star-Telegram and NBC DFW.

The medical examiner said she died from blunt force trauma, smothering and strangulation. Her naked body was found on Dec. 2 in the Trinity River.

The last thing Athena’s mother, Maitlyn Gandy, said to her was that she loved her, she testified.