A jury has been moved to tears by the haunting final words of seven-year-old Athena Strand as she repeatedly asked her abductor Are you a kidnapper?' during a harrowing sentencing hearing.

Theaudio, captured inside a delivery van, records the child's desperate attempt to understand her fate after being snatched from her Texas driveway in November 2022.

Former FedEx driver Tanner Horner, 34, has already entered aguilty pleato capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. The case is in its sentencing phase in Wise County, where jurors must decide between life in prison and the death penalty.

Courtroom observers described a scene of total devastation as theAthena Strand audio transcriptwas played, showing the child's confusion and fear.

Horner sat motionless as the recording revealed he told the girl she was 'really pretty' before threatening her to stay silent. This murder case has reached a critical turning point as the prosecution presents the most visceral evidence of the child's final moments.

The jury heard theAre you a kidnapper audioduring a week of intense testimony, and the recording shows Horner attempting to keep the girl calm while he drove her away from her family home.

Athena is heard crying for her mother and asking her abductor 'Where are you taking me?' and 'Are you a kidnapper?' in a small, trembling voice. TheseAthena Strand's final momentsprovide a window into the terror she faced before she was smothered and strangled.

Horner's voice is also audible on the tape. He told the child, 'You're really pretty, you know that?' and warned her that she would be hurt if she screamed. Prosecutors say this proves the abduction was a calculated act of violence. At the start of the recording, Horner is heard instructing the child not to scream, warning her that she would be hurt if she did not comply.

NEW: Prosecutor appears to suggest there is DNA evidence that 7-year-old Athena Strand, who was killed by a FedEx driver, was s*xually assaulted by him.Tanner Horner is accused of abducting the girl from her home before strangling her to her death."We have DNA. Not only do we...https://t.co/5Isx4CapxOpic.twitter.com/gnDXK47XHa

The emotional impact of the recording was immediate and severe. Reports from inside the courtroom describe jurors sobbing as the audio played, with some visibly unable to continue watching or listening.

Source: International Business Times UK