A Christmas voicemail is one of the last things Alisha Case has from the little girl she loved as a goddaughter. Days before Christmas 2025, Jor’Dynn Duncan called to thank Case for gifts she had dropped off at the Bayport, New York, home where the 7-year-old lived.
Four days after Christmas, Jor’Dynn was dead.
Case told CBS News New York that relatives saw less and less of Jor’Dynn during her final year and rarely got to spend time alone with her.
“We wish we knew,” Case said. “We had a feeling, but so much was hidden, and now we know.”
Jor’Dynn’s mother, Portia Duncan, later described her daughter as a “smart, sweet, fun, girly girl” and said the two maintained a close relationship despite Jor’Dynn no longer being in her custody. In an interview with CBS News New York, Portia called her daughter her best friend.
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Prosecutors Say the Abuse Began Months Before Her Death
Jor’Dynn was removed from her mother’s custody in 2019 and spent about five years in foster care with a family friend. In December 2024, she was placed with Emily Kelly, the fiancée of Jor’Dynn’s incarcerated father. Kelly later received full custody and guardianship in April 2025.
Prosecutors allege the abuse began as early as January 2025. According to court records reported by News 12, investigators documented at least 90 recent injuries on Jor’Dynn’s body, as well as older injuries and scars. Authorities also said photographs, videos, and text messages recovered during the investigation allegedly documented abuse inside the home.
Jor’Dynn missed approximately 40 days of school between January and June 2025. CBS News New York reported that prosecutors believe some of those absences were connected to the abuse and allege Kelly gave explanations that included illness and a trip to Disney World.
On December 29, Kelly called 911 and reported that Jor’Dynn was in cardiac arrest. Paramedics found her unconscious, and she was transported to NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk, where she was pronounced dead.
The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Jor’Dynn had suffered dozens of injuries and died from a severe untreated infection caused by sharp-force wounds.
Kelly was charged with second-degree murder, reckless endangerment, unlawful imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child. Her mother, Barbara Renner, was charged with manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, while Kelly’s daughter, Elyssa Seymore, was charged with unlawful imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. All three pleaded not guilty.
Her Death Put Child Welfare Decisions Under Scrutiny
Questions about who encountered Jor’Dynn and what warning signs may have been missed followed the arrests.
A state review found that Suffolk County Child Protective Services did not open an investigation involving Jor’Dynn during the year before her death. News 12 reported that state officials said reports received during that period did not contain enough credible information to meet the threshold for an investigation.
Further, Jor’Dynn’s school attendance also became part of the scrutiny. Her family and attorneys have questioned how she could miss roughly 40 days of school while allegedly suffering visible injuries without intervention.
In July 2026, Portia and attorneys representing Jor’Dynn’s estate filed notices of claim against Suffolk County, its Department of Social Services and Child Protective Services, as well as the Bayport-Blue Point School District. The filings seek a combined $250 million and allege that county agencies failed to adequately vet and monitor Kelly, while the school district failed to respond appropriately to Jor’Dynn’s absences and signs of possible abuse.
Suffolk County and the school district have declined to discuss the claims in detail because of the pending litigation. County Executive Ed Romaine has also disputed claims that CPS placed Jor’Dynn with Kelly, saying a family court judge made the placement.
Portia has said the legal action is about accountability for what happened to her daughter and protection for other children.
“I just want justice served for my daughter,” she told CBS News New York.
Away from the court filings and allegations, Jor’Dynn’s family remembered a child who loved music and being surrounded by people she loved. Her obituary described her as confident and joyful, with a love for dance and laughter.
Please share Jor’Dynn Duncan’s story as her family continues seeking accountability for her death. She is our sister, and her life matters.
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