Taelyn Woodson was six years old.
She had a cheeky grin and big bright eyes and an overgrown fringe of sandy blonde hair like many little girls have.
And on Sunday, in her hometown of Indiana, US, Taelyn died. Not because she was sick, or because she didn’t look both ways before crossing the road.
Taelyn Woodson died because her mother’s boyfriend, 27-year-old Nathaniel Jordan, allegedly punched her mother Jessica Skeens, 28, while she was driving the family car. He then took over the steering wheel, causing the car to careen off the highway and roll forcefully into a ditch.
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Taelyn, who local police say was sitting in the back row of the van without a seatbelt, was partially ejected from the vehicle upon impact. She died instantaneously.
The little girl – as well as her three siblings who were transported to IU Health’s Ball Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries – are all potentially victims of domestic violence despite never being hit with a punch.
There are also suspicions alcohol was involved in the crash, with investigations hinging on pending toxicology reports. It’s not yet clear if one or multiple parties are believed to have consumed alcohol.
Later that day, Jordan was arrested on multiple charges; of neglect of a dependent causing death, felony criminal recklessness, and domestic battery. Two days later Skeens was also taken into police custody, under preliminary charges of neglect of a dependent causing death, operating while intoxicated causing the death of another person, operating while intoxicated with a passenger less than 18 years of age, and neglect of a dependent.
Meanwhile, the child's maternal grandmother Kathy Parris has set about planning her funeral. She has also pledged to gain custody of her three remaining grandchildren.
"I love my daughter, but in no way shape or form will I ever condone what she has done here or make excuses for her, whatsoever," Parris said in court.
"My exact words to her were, 'What do you have to say for yourself?'" Parris recalled of their conversation. "And she says, 'There's nothing I can say.' She was crying. She was upset and I said, 'You have to live with what you've done,' and I walked away."
Despite trying multiple times to have her grandchildren removed from her daughter Jessica Skeens' care, the grieving grandmother said "nobody listened".
"My grandbaby is now dead," she said. "This system failed her miserably."
If you or a loved one is suffering from domestic violence, Mamamia urges you to contact 1800 RESPECT.