A white Long Island woman and family members indicted with abuse and murder of 7-year-old Black girl
“This was not an alleged single act of violence. It was months of alleged systematic cruelty and sadistic abuse, meticulously documented,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney.
A seven-year-old Black girl was tortured and killed by three women from the same family who were entrusted with her care.
According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office in New York, the child, Jor’Dynn Duncan, was found unconscious after her caretaker called 911 to report a cardiac arrest on December 29, 2025, at approximately 10:30 a.m. After being transported to NYU-Langone Hospital-Suffolk, Jor’Dynn was pronounced dead.
Rather than a cardiac arrest, an autopsy found that Jor’Dynn died from a “massive” untreated infection related to approximately 90 “sharp force injuries.”
A grand jury has indicted Emily Kelly, 50, on second-degree murder charges. Her mother, Barbara Renner, 75, was indicted for second-degree manslaughter, and Kelly’s daughter, Elyssa Seymore, 24, was indicted for unlawful imprisonment in the first degree. The full list of charges under the indictments also includes several counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of reckless endangerment.
Further investigation found extensive photographic and video evidence on Kelly’s cell phone and cloud accounts showing Jor’Dynn being abused and tortured. Her injuries date back to January 2025, according to authorities.
Investigators found that Kelly, who is white, is the fiancée of Jor’Dynn’s father, Derrick Dixon. By her own request, she was given guardianship over Jor’Dynn by Child Protective Services in December 2024, and later gained full custody in April 2025.
Between January 2025 and June 2025, Jor’Dynn reportedly missed 40 days of school, which Kelly falsely attributed to illnesses, deaths in the family, and a trip to Disney World.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney, said that the three women are accused of the “prolonged torture, abuse, and the brutal murder of a defenseless, innocent child who was placed in their care.”
“This was not an alleged single act of violence. It was months of alleged systematic cruelty and sadistic abuse, meticulously documented. The child was allegedly left to die while these defendants watched her deteriorate. No child should ever endure such horror, and we will seek justice for Jor’Dynn.”
The obituary for Jor’Dynn shares that “she danced through life with sass, rhythm, and a smile that could melt hearts.” She is survived by her 12 siblings and her parents, Portia Duncan and Derrick Dixon.
“True to her name, Jor’Dynn Rose was grace and beauty in full bloom,” per the obituary. “Though her time on this earth was far too short, her impact was mighty. She taught those around her how to love deeper, laugh louder, and appreciate every moment. Her spirit remains woven into the hearts of all who knew her.”