On October 7, 2022, a hit-and-run driver struck three-year-old Scarlett Jensen, her two-year-old brother Henry, and their grandmother, Jamie, on a private dirt road near their home. Scarlett didn’t survive. Weeks later, the family discovered something heartbreaking. The grandmother had unknowingly taken one last photo of Scarlett just five minutes before the little girl passed away.
Henry suffered serious injuries and spent a week in intensive care. Jamie broke several bones and was knocked unconscious. The 23-year-old driver from Newport ran from the scene, but thankfully, the police caught him nearby.
The Last Photo the Grandmother Took
According to local media coverage, Scarlett’s mother, Samantha Jensen, found the photo weeks later when the family finally had Jamie’s phone back. The timestamp showed 4:47 p.m. Scarlett passed away at 4:52 p.m. “My mom didn’t know she was capturing the last moments of her life,” Jensen wrote on TikTok. “This one is really hard for me to look at, just knowing what comes next breaks my heart.”
Jensen, seeing the time on her grandmother’s phone, realized this was the last photo ever taken of Scarlett. “It was extremely painful for me to look at in the beginning,” Jensen said. “How do you come to terms with the existence of a ‘last picture’ of your child?” Now Jensen feels differently about the photo. She’s “so incredibly thankful” for it because it shows the “peaceful feeling of her last moments.”
Read More: ‘I’m Dying…’ — Steve Irwin’s Cameraman Opens Up About the Crocodile Hunter’s Last Words
What Happened That Day
Jensen was at a wedding when the crash happened. Her mother, Jamie, was watching Scarlett and Henry, taking them on their weekly Saturday trip to McDonald’s for ice cream. They were walking home along their private dirt road when the children wanted to get out of their strollers.
The kids loved picking the yellow and purple flowers that grew along the road. As they picked flowers, Jamie heard a car engine revving. “When their grandma heard the revving engine and the car coming up, she turned around and tried to wave them off, she tried to push the children out of the way,” Jim Patton, the children’s grandfather, told reporters. Everything happened in seconds. The car hit all three before the driver got out and ran away.
Henry’s Recovery
Henry was badly hurt, according to news reports. He broke his spine, six ribs, his jaw, and his collarbone. His liver was also injured. A helicopter rushed him to a children’s hospital, where he spent a week in intensive care. The two-year-old had to wear a full-body brace for ten weeks while his bones healed. “He’s a tough boy,” Patton said. Henry has since made a full recovery.
Remembering Scarlett
Scarlett was born on New Year’s Day 2019. Her parents had waited a long time for their first child. She had just started preschool and loved being the big sister to Henry and her younger siblings, Molly and Rosie.
“Scarlett was the silliest, sweetest little girl,” Jensen said. “She loved horses, unicorns, being a big sister, and the movies Frozen and Spirit. She enjoyed playing hide-and-seek, going to the park, attending preschool, and playing soccer.”
Scarlett had just scored her first soccer goal and was excited about her next game. “The house feels so quiet and empty without her,” Jensen said. Patton remembered his granddaughter’s “prettiest smile” and how she was “so full of life, so full of love.“
Justice for Scarlett
Police caught the driver a few miles from the crash site. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with two years credited for time already served. The family struggled most with the fact that he ran away. “How do you do that? How do you walk away from suffering?” Patton asked.
Grieving Out Loud
Jensen decided to share her story on TikTok to help other families dealing with loss. She calls her approach “grieving loudly” instead of suffering in silence.
“You don’t have to do it in silence,” she tells other grieving parents. “Talk about your people, scream their names loud and proud, and never stop sharing their stories.” Some days are harder than others. “Some days, it feels like I am drowning, and some days I am able to tread water,” Jensen said.
Her faith and therapy have helped the family heal. “My faith in the Lord has saved my life and helped me tremendously in my healing journey.”
Read More: The Internet Pays Tribute to Teacher Who Spends Last Moments Grading Students in the Hospital
Community Support
After losing Scarlett, neighbors and strangers reached out to help. They offered meals, childcare, and emotional support. A GoFundMe campaign helped cover funeral costs and time off work. “The community has come forward with so much support and love, helping ease this family through a devastating chapter in their lives,” Patton said.
People respond to Jensen’s TikTok posts with their messages of support. One wrote, “Sweet little soul. May she forever rest in peace. May her peace now be that of her family. So heartbreaking.” Another said, “When I see the wildflowers growing in the spring I shall think of Scarlett. Rest easy, beautiful girl.”
Keeping Love Alive
Both Patton and Jensen know Scarlett’s memory will stay with them forever. “We’ll have Scarlett in our hearts, with us, around us, forever,” Patton said. The loss left a permanent hole. “A piece of my soul is gone,” he said. Jensen continues sharing memories of her daughter online, including the grandmother’s last photo of Scarlett, turning her grief into hope for other families. As Henry healed and the family worked through therapy, they stayed committed to one thing: keeping Scarlett’s memory alive with love, not silence.
