MCCOMB, Miss. (WKRC) – A woman entered a guilty plea deal in connection to her role in the murder, kidnapping, and sexual assault of young children along with her childhood friend.
Virginia Cox, 34, accepted a guilty plea deal on Monday that reduced her charges from capital murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery to just second-degree murder and kidnapping, according to People.
According to a factual basis signed by 37-year-old Daniel Callihan, a childhood friend of Cox’s, Callihan admitted to murdering 35-year-old Callie Brunett in her home and kidnapping her two daughters, ages 4 and 6, on June 11, 2024. Callihan further claimed he drove to Mississippi the next day before traveling to Cox’s home to pick the woman up and bring her to a location in McComb, Mississippi.
Callihan told police that he and Cox engaged in sexual abuse with the 6-year-old before he held the 4-year-old “closely against his chest” in an intentional effort to murder her. Cox allegedly told police she did nothing despite knowing Callihan was killing the child.
Police started searching for the children when they discovered Brunett’s body, which was not until two days after her death, the outlet reported. The surviving child was found in a pit where she was being held captive with her sister’s dead body, per the factual basis.
Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said the scene where the child was found included “small cages” and “small wired enclosures” that may have been used for human trafficking.
Although Callihan received three life sentences for his part in the crimes, after Cox’s plea deal she was sentenced to just 40 years in prison for murder and 25 for kidnapping, but the sentences may be served concurrently. The judge reportedly criticized Cox for committing such a heinous crime despite having three children of her own, ages 9, 8, and 6.