20 years later, police still searching for girl’s killer

ORANGE, Texas (AP) — Authorities have increased their reward in the search for the person responsible for the killing of a 4-year-old Southeast Texas girl more than 20 years ago.

Dannarriah Finley disappeared from her bedroom early on July 4, 2002.

Her mother, Jaime Arnold, told authorities she put her daughter and two other children, plus three cousins to bed at 1:30 a.m. after returning from work. She checked on the children about 4 a.m. and then awoke at 10 a.m. to discover Dannarriah was gone from their home in Orange, about 110 miles east of Houston.

Dannarriah’s body was found four days later by pipeline workers in Port Arthur, about 20 miles (32 km) south of Orange. Authorities say she had been sexually assaulted and strangled.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, or DPS, on Friday announced it had increased its reward for information from $3,000 to $6,000.

“Despite intensive investigation into what happened to the young girl, this case remains unsolved and anyone with details regarding the homicide is asked to come forward with information,” DPS said in statement.