Samantha Jensen from Oldtown, Idaho, recently shared a deeply emotional moment on TikTok—a photo her mother had taken of her three-year-old daughter, Scarlett, just minutes before her passing.
She wrote: “My mom captured this picture at 4:47 p.m. Scarlett’s official time of death was 4:52.”
“My mom had no idea she was taking the final photo of her life. This one is incredibly painful for me to see—knowing what followed just shatters my heart,” Jensen shared.
Her story touched thousands online, leaving many deeply moved.
One commenter wrote: “Such a precious soul. May she rest peacefully. I hope her family finds comfort and healing. Truly heartbreaking.
Another shared: “I can’t begin to comprehend your pain. ‘I’m sorry’ feels so inadequate. When spring brings wildflowers, I’ll think of Scarlett. Rest peacefully, sweet girl.”
A third added: “My heart aches for your family. She was such a beautiful little soul.”
In an interview with People magazine, Samantha Jensen shared that Scarlett was their “long-awaited first child,” arriving on New Year’s Day in 2019.
Since then, Jensen has welcomed three more children—Henry, Molly, and Rosie.
“Scarlett was the sweetest, silliest little girl,” Jensen remembered. “She adored horses, unicorns, being a big sister, and watching Frozen and Spirit. She loved playing hide-and-seek, going to the park, preschool, and kicking a soccer ball around.”
At first, Jensen found it almost unbearable to view the photo taken just before Scarlett’s passing.
“It was incredibly painful to look at in the beginning,” she shared. “How do you wrap your mind around having a ‘last picture’ of your child?”
Over time, however, her perspective shifted. Jensen now says she’s “so incredibly thankful” for the image, as it captures a moment of serenity in Scarlett’s final moments.
The heartbreaking events of that day unfolded while Jensen was attending a wedding on October 7, 2022. Her mother, Jamie, was caring for Scarlett and her younger brother, Henry.
As the three of them walked along the family’s private driveway, a Chevy Tahoe came speeding down the road—striking all three.
