A tragic story has taken yet another sad turn.
The Dallas Morning News reports that Yolanda Carr, the mother of Atatiana Jefferson, has died at 55. A cause of death has yet to be released but she had been battling illness. Before her death, Jefferson had moved in with her mother to be her caretaker.
Carr’s death comes only months after Jefferson was fatally shot by a police officer in October. Jefferson was babysitting and playing video games with her nephew when police arrived after being called for a welfare check. Former Officer Aaron Dean didn’t announce his presence at the home and bodycam footage shows he shot Jefferson only seconds after yelling at her to put her hands up. Dean was arrested on a murder charge that same day and was indicted on the charge in December.
Jefferson’s father, Marquis Jefferson, died from a heart attack on Nov. 9, only weeks after his daughter’s funeral. Lee Merritt, an attorney for Jefferson’s family has said that the past few months have been difficult for them as they have gone “from one tragedy to the next.” He added that the shooting has been, “emotionally, physically, mentally taxing on the family.”
No word yet on when Jefferson’s case will go to trial. Sadly, no amount of justice will be enough to account for the losses this family has had to face over the past four months.