Body of 7-Year-Old Exhumed Amid Torture Killing Charges Against Caretakers
Prosecutors allege a pattern of systematic cruelty and neglect led to the child's death.
The body of a 7-year-old girl, Jor’Dynn Duncan, was exhumed over the summer for further examination as her adoptive caretakers face charges in her death, according to her family's attorney. Prosecutors allege that Jor’Dynn was subjected to over a year of torment before she died in December.
Jor’Dynn's attorney, Heather Palmore, stated that the exhumation was conducted with the family's permission to allow the district attorney's office to conduct its investigation. "We want to make sure that the district attorney is able to do their job," Palmore told The Post. "Then, once they do whatever they need to on their end, I’m sure they’ll share with us any findings that they have."
A custody dispute in 2024 placed Jor’Dynn in the care of Emily Kelly, the fiancée of her father, Derrick Dixon, who is currently serving a four-year prison sentence for attempted burglary. Despite objections from Jor’Dynn's mother, Portia Duncan, Kelly was granted full custody of the child in April 2025.
Prosecutors detailed that the child died from untreated "sharp force injuries," with nearly 90 stab wounds noted, some dating back almost a year. Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney described the situation in May as "months of alleged systematic cruelty and sadistic abuse, meticulously documented." He added, "The child was allegedly left to die while these defendants watched her deteriorate."
In addition to Emily Kelly, who is charged with second-degree murder, authorities have also arrested her mother, Barbara Renner, 75, and her daughter, Elyssa Seymore, 24. Renner and Seymore face charges including assault and unlawful imprisonment.
Portia Duncan filed a lawsuit in July against Suffolk County, seeking $250 million in wrongful death damages. Her legal team contends that the county's Child Protective Services and Department of Social Services failed to adequately monitor Jor’Dynn's health and well-being. The lawsuit also accuses the Bayport-Blue Point School District of not reporting the child's absence for 40 days and of neglecting to address visible signs of abuse.
