On October 7, 2022, Samantha Jensen from Oldtown, Idaho, faced a devastating tragedy. She left her two children, three-year-old Scarlett and two-year-old Henry, in the care of their grandmother, Jamie, while she attended a wedding out of town. What began as a normal day would soon take a horrific turn.
That afternoon, Jamie took the children out for ice cream and a walk. As they returned home, using the back driveway, Scarlett asked to get out of her stroller to pick flowers. Jamie snapped a picture of Scarlett walking along the driveway, unaware that this would be the last image of her granddaughter. Moments later, disaster struck.
A driver, experiencing a “mental breakdown,” lost control of their Chevy Tahoe and sped down the driveway. Despite Jamie’s frantic attempts to wave the driver away and pull the children to safety, the vehicle hit all three. Scarlett died instantly, while Henry and Jamie were critically injured.
The driver fled the scene but was arrested shortly afterward. Meanwhile, a neighbor, alerted by Jamie’s cries for help, found her and Henry lying on the ground and called for emergency assistance.
Samantha was on a plane returning home when she learned about the incident. Police met her at the airport and rushed her to the hospital, where Henry had been airlifted. Though Henry’s condition was critical, he survived, suffering a broken jaw, collarbone, and other injuries. He spent a week in the pediatric ICU and remained in a full-body brace for ten weeks. Jamie also sustained multiple broken bones but eventually recovered.
On the anniversary of Scarlett’s death, Samantha shared the last image of her daughter on social media. Taken at 4:47 p.m., it captured Scarlett and Henry walking down the driveway, just minutes before the accident occurred at 4:52 p.m. Samantha described the heartbreaking realization that her mother had unknowingly documented Scarlett’s final moments, stating, “Just knowing what comes next breaks my heart.”
Despite the tragedy, Samantha found solace in her faith and expressed gratitude for the miracle of still having Henry in her life. Over time, she has worked to preserve Scarlett’s memory, sharing stories about her with her younger siblings, Molly and Rosie, and posting tributes online. Scarlett, born on New Year’s Day in 2019, was remembered as a loving, joyful child who adored unicorns, soccer, and her role as a big sister.
The man responsible for the accident was sentenced to 10 years in prison for vehicular homicide, with two years deducted for time served. Samantha continues to honor Scarlett’s memory, ensuring her legacy lives on within their family.