On October 7, 2022, three-year-old Scarlett Jensen was enjoying a simple day out with her grandmother and two-year-old brother in their family’s private driveway in Oldtown, Idaho. Moments after Scarlett’s grandmother captured a candid photo of her granddaughter, tragedy struck — a speeding Chevy Tahoe crashed into the trio.
Scarlett’s mother, Samantha Jensen, recalls the horror. Her mother screamed and tried frantically to pull the children away, but the vehicle was moving too fast. Scarlett was killed almost instantly, while her grandmother and brother suffered critical injuries.
Her brother, Henry, was airlifted to a children’s hospital with severe trauma including a fractured spine, broken ribs, jaw, collarbone, and liver laceration. Samantha’s mother sustained multiple fractures but was eventually released.
The hit-and-run suspect fled the scene on foot but was apprehended miles away and has since been sentenced to ten years in prison.
While grieving, Samantha found the last photo her mother took of Scarlett—capturing a peaceful moment just minutes before her death. Initially difficult to view, the image now represents a beautiful reminder of Scarlett’s joyful spirit.
