A seven-year-old girl dies due to approximately 90 injuries, implying long-term, “sadistic abuse,” prosecutors say. There are currently three generations of females being investigated for criminal charges regarding the death of the victim.
Jor’Dynn Duncan passed away in the hospital after Emily Kelly, 50 years old, contacted the police on Dec. 29, 2025, informing them about the child being in cardiac arrest. After an autopsy, it has been determined that Jor’Dynn died due to a large and untreated infection caused by sharp-force injuries.
Emily Kelly received legal rights to care for Jor’Dynn in April 2025, when the child protection service assigned her to care for the girl, who was Kelly’s fiancé’s daughter.
The investigation of the incident included the evidence of long-term torture, including the use of physical restraint and the denial of medical help. Moreover, investigators discovered some false excuses for making Jor’Dynn skip school.
Emily Kelly is accused of second-degree murder, while her mother, Barbara Renner, 75 years old, faces manslaughter charges. The young defendant’s daughter, Elyssa Seymore, 24, is also charged. All defendants deny the accusation.
The bail for each defendant is between $25,000 and $5 million.
