Woman, her mother and her daughter charged in connection to 7-year-old girl's death on Long Island

Three women, who are all related, are facing charges in connection to a child's death on Long Island.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said Jor'Dynn Duncan was placed in the care of her father's fiancée – Emily Kelly, of Bayport – in December 2024 at Kelly's request. Kelly gained full custody and guardianship of Jor'Dynn in April 2025, officials said.

Investigators allege Kelly abused and tortured Jor'Dynn over a prolonged period of time dating back to January 2025, and had photographic and video evidence of the abuse on her cellphone and other cloud-based digital accounts.

The DA's office said Jor'Dynn missed about 40 days of school between January and June 2025, which investigators believe was due to the abuse. Kelly allegedly said the absences were due to illnesses, deaths in the family, and a trip to Disney World.

On Dec. 29, 2025, officials say Kelly called 911 to report Jor'Dynn, 7, was in cardiac arrest. Officials said the child was unconscious when paramedics arrived, and she was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The DA's office said an autopsy found Jor'Dynn had suffered approximately 90 sharp force injuries at the time of her death, and the cause of death was determined to be an untreated infection of the wounds.

Kelly, 50, was indicted Wednesday for murder, reckless endangerment, unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child.

Kelly's mother, 75-year-old Barbara Renner, and Kelly's daughter, 24-year-old Elyssa Seymore, were also indicted. Renner was charged with manslaughter, and Seymore was charged with unlawful imprisonment. Both were also charged with endangering the welfare of a child.

"This was not an alleged single act of violence. It was months of alleged systematic cruelty and sadistic abuse, meticulously documented," District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a statement, in part. "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."

All three suspects are due back in court in June 23.