A Long Island woman, her mother, and her daughter have been indicted in connection with the death of a 7-year-od girl who was in their care.
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a release that Jor-Dynn suffered “prolonged torture [and] abuse” before her “brutal murder.”
“This was not an alleged single act of violence,” Tierney said. “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.”
Emily Kelly, 50, called 911 on the morning of December 29, 2025, to say the girl was in cardiac arrest. Paramedics took the child to NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy determined that she died from a “massive untreated infection” which had been caused by “sharp force injuries.”
The girl had around 90 injuries on her body when she died, prompting an investigation by the Suffolk County Police Department.
Investigators learned that Kelly was the fiance of Duncan’s father, and the girl had been placed in her care at her request. In August of last year, she was granted full custody and guardianship of the child.
“Investigators allegedly recovered extensive photographic and video evidence from Kelly’s cellphone and cloud-based accounts documenting the alleged prolonged abuse and torture of the victim, which included prolonged restraint, physical injuries, and lack of medical care for those injuries dating back to January 2025,” Tierney’s office said.
Investigators also learned that Duncan missed about 40 days of school between January and June 2025, with Kelly providing multiple “fabricated” excuses for the absences, including various illnesses, deaths in the family, and a trip to Disneyworld.
Kelly was arraigned this week on single counts of second degree murder, reckless endangerment, and unlawful imprisonment, along with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. She was given a $5 million cash bond or $10 million bond and faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
Kelly’s mother, 75-year-old Barbara Renner, was indcted on single counts of manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, while her daughter, 24-year-old Elyssa Seymore, was charged with one count of unlawful imprisonment and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Renner was ordered held on a $50,000 cash or $500,000 partially security bond and faces 5 to 15 years in prison. Seymore’s bond was set a $25,000 cash or $250,000 partially secured. She faces 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.
All three women are due in court again on June 23.
Featured image: Jor’dynn Duncan/Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Inset: Emily Kelly/Facebook
