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THE daughters of a slain couple have been hailed as heroes after rushing to get help as their parents were killed.
The Arkansas Devil’s Den State Park murders grabbed national attention after parents Cristen and Clinton Brink were murdered on a hiking trail while with their children, 7 and 9.
The daughters were central to the search, serving as the initial witnesses in the case.
Arkansas State Police’s director, Col. Mike Hagar, said that a suspect would not have been caught as quickly without the children’s eye-witness testimony.
“Those two little girls are absolute heroes,” Hagar said.
“Had it not been for them, we don’t make an arrest in this case. At least not this quick.”
Clinton, 43, was the first to be attacked, according to officials.
Cristen, 41, the mother, had then heroically brought her young daughters to safety before being murdered herself, police said.
“The mother did not return all the way to the car with the kids,” state police Major Stacie Rhoads said at a news conference.
“We believe that the mother took them to safety and then returned to help her husband.”
The daughters found another hiker, told them what had happened, and were brought to a ranger station, Hagar said.
The siblings had also given descriptions of the suspect to authorities after the murders.
“I’m just in absolute awe of those little girls and how strong they were,” Hagar said.
“Just the sweetest little girls that you’ve ever met in your entire life.”
An arrest after days-long search
A manhunt went underway to find the suspect after the murders, leading to a multi-day search.
Andrew James McGann, 28, was arrested by police on July 30 and charged with two counts of capital murder after the July 26 killings.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges.
What we know about Andrew James McGann
Andrew James McGann has been arrested on two charges of capital murder. Below is a history of his employment:
He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in elementary education in May 2022.
That fall, he worked as a 4th grade math teacher at Donald Elementary in Flower Mound, Texas, and reportedly resigned during the school year.
During the 2023-2024 school year, he was a 5th grade science and social studies teacher at Spring Creek Elementary in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and left of his own accord at the end of the school year, Broken Arrow Public Schools said.
Although he told Broken Arrow officials that he left the school to work in another state, he began teaching at Sand Springs Public Schools in Oklahoma in the summer of 2024 up until May of this year.
He was hired to teach third grade at Bayyari Elementary School in Springdale, Arkansas, in the upcoming year. He was arrested on July 30.
Police said that he admitted to killing the couple after his arrest, and had matching DNA to blood found at the scene, CBS News reported.
McGann, a teacher, was set to begin teaching a third grade class in the fall.
Timeline of the murders
Clinton Brink, 43, and Cristen Brink, 43, were killed while hiking at Devil’s Den State Park with their daughters. Below is a timeline of the case:
July 16 – The Brink family has their water service turned on after recently moving to Prairie Grove, Arkansas, according to Mayor David Falk.
July 27 – Clinton and Cristen are found dead on Devil’s Den trail at around 2:30 pm after their two daughters ran to the visitor’s center and said their parents were attacked.
July 27 – Police release the identities of the slain couple. Cops ask park visitors to check their pictures and footage from Saturday for possible images of the suspect.
July 28 – Arkansas State Police releases a sketch of a person of interest in the case.
July 29 – ASP releases a picture from a witness of the person of interest in the case.
July 30 – Andrew James McGann is arrested mid-haircut at Lupita’s Beauty Salon and Barber Shop just before 5 pm.
A motive is still unclear.
His next hearing date is Nov. 14.
