A woman has shared a photo showing the final moments of her granddaughter’s life, taken just minutes before the three-year-old passed away.
Scarlett Jensen lost her life in a hit-and-run accident on October 7, 2022. She had been staying with her grandmother along with her 2-year-old brother, Henry, while their parents, Samantha and her husband, were out of town for a wedding.
While the three of them were walking on the family’s private driveway in Oldtown, Idaho, an unexpected tragedy occurred. A Chevy Tahoe sped down the road, hitting Scarlett, her grandmother, and Henry.
Samantha later explained that her mother had tried to stop the vehicle, waving her hands and attempting to move the children out of the way, but the driver was going too fast. Scarlett did not survive the impact. Her grandmother and Henry were critically injured.
The driver fled the scene on foot but was caught several miles away. He is now serving a ten-year prison sentence.
Henry was rushed to the hospital, where doctors found he had a fractured spine, six broken ribs, a broken jaw, a broken collarbone, and internal injuries. Samantha’s mother also suffered multiple broken bones but was able to leave the hospital sooner. Henry spent a week in intensive care before he was stable enough to go home, wearing a full-body brace for ten weeks.
As the family grieved, they found some comfort in an unexpected place. While looking through her mother’s recovered phone, Samantha found a picture taken of Scarlett just minutes before the accident.
Samantha explained that her mother had taken the kids out for ice cream, and when they returned home, Scarlett wanted to pick flowers. That’s when the picture was taken—just moments before the accident.
At first, it was painful for Samantha to look at the photo. But over time, she came to see it differently.
Now, she cherishes it as a reminder of Scarlett’s happiness in her last moments. She will always remember her daughter smiling, carefree, and surrounded by beauty.