Suffolk prosecutors detail months of abuse in Jor’Dynn Duncan death case
Jor’Dynn Duncan died after Suffolk County CPS placed her with Emily Kelly, and prosecutors say months of hidden abuse left about 90 injuries on the 7-year-old.
A 911 call brought paramedics to 7-year-old Jor’Dynn Duncan’s final hours inside a Bayport home. Suffolk County officials say the child’s death was not a single event but the end of a prolonged pattern of violence, restraint and missed warning signs.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office says Emily Kelly, 50, called 911 at about 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2025, reporting that the child was in cardiac arrest. Emergency crews took Jor’Dynn to NYU Langone Hospital-Suffolk, where she was pronounced dead. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office documented approximately 90 injuries on her body, and prosecutors say an autopsy found she died from a massive untreated infection caused by sharp-force injuries.
The case centers on three women from the same Bayport family: Kelly, the fiancé of Jor’Dynn’s father; Kelly’s mother, Barbara Renner, 75; and Kelly’s daughter, Elyssa Seymore, 24. Kelly was indicted on second-degree murder and other charges, Renner on second-degree manslaughter and related charges, and Seymore on first-degree unlawful imprisonment and related charges. Defense attorneys for Renner and Seymore have denied culpability and said they will keep investigating the circumstances.
Suffolk County Child Protective Services placed Jor’Dynn with Kelly in December 2024 at Kelly’s request, and Kelly gained full custody and guardianship in April 2025. Detectives recovered photos and videos from Kelly’s cellphone and cloud accounts showing prolonged restraint, physical injuries and a lack of medical care dating back to January 2025.
Prosecutors say Jor’Dynn missed about 40 days of school between January and June 2025, and that Kelly used false explanations to keep the school from seeing what was happening, including claims of illnesses, deaths in the family and even a trip to Disney World.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said the investigation remained open as the court case moved ahead. Family members and supporters later filled the courthouse as the indictments became public.
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