Tanner Horner Gets Death Sentence for Killing Child

May 6, 2026, 17:57
AustraliaOther

Introduction

A jury in Texas says Tanner Horner must die. He killed a seven-year-old girl named Athena Strand in 2022.

Main Body

Tanner Horner worked for FedEx. He took the girl from her home. He said it was an accident, but videos showed he lied. He killed the girl in a violent way. His lawyers said he has mental health problems. They said he has autism and ADHD. His mother also had problems with drugs. But doctors said these things did not make him kill the girl. The girl's family is now suing FedEx. They say the company did not check the worker's history. The jury decided Tanner is dangerous and must die.

Conclusion

Tanner Horner is going to prison now. He will wait there for more court dates.

Learning

⚡ The 'Action' Pattern

In this story, we see how to describe things that happened in the past. To reach A2, you need to know that most basic actions just add -ed to the end.

Look at these examples from the text:

  • Work → Worked*
  • Kill → Killed*
  • Decide → Decided*

Wait! Some words change completely (Irregulars):

  • Say → Said*
  • Take → Took*

💡 Pro Tip: The 'Must' Rule

When something is required by law or a boss, we use Must.

Must die →\rightarrow No choice. It is a requirement.

Quick Guide: Person →\rightarrow must →\rightarrow action Tanner →\rightarrow must →\rightarrow die

Vocabulary Learning

jury (n.)
A group of people who decide a court case.
Example:The jury listened to the witnesses.
killed (v.)
Caused someone or something to die.
Example:He killed the dog in the park.
accident (n.)
An unexpected event that causes damage or injury.
Example:It was a car accident on the highway.
videos (n.)
Recordings that show moving pictures.
Example:We watched the videos together.
lied (v.)
Told a false statement.
Example:She lied about her age.
violent (adj.)
Using or involving force to hurt someone.
Example:He acted violently during the fight.
lawyers (n.)
People who give legal advice and represent clients.
Example:The lawyers met with the client.
mental (adj.)
Related to the mind or thinking.
Example:She has mental health problems.
mother (n.)
A female parent.
Example:Her mother cooks every evening.
prison (n.)
A place where criminals are kept.
Example:He will go to prison after the trial.