Update: Daughter of Christian singer dies after being struck by car in driveway
Update: The family has created a special blog for individuals to leave their comments and to view special videos of Maria.
Originally posted at 7:45 am: In what police officials are describing as a "terrible accident," 5-year-old Maria Sue Chapman — one of Christian singer/songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman‘s six children with wife Mary Beth — died last night after being struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser in the family’s driveway. Compounding the tragedy, the SUV was being driven by her unidentified teenaged brother.
At the time of the 5:30 p.m. accident several children were playing in the area, police said. The driver pulled in and apparently was unable to see Maria as he made his way up the long gravel driveway. Two of Maria’s playmates witnessed Maria being struck, and the entire family was at their Franklin, Tenn. home when the accident occurred. Maria was flown by helicopter to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, where she was pronounced dead.
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John Styll, president of the Gospel Music Association, said that news of Maria’s death was revealed during Wednesday night services at the church attended by the Chapman’s, where Maria had recently graduated from preschool. The little girl is the youngest of three children adopted from China by the Chapman’s, who formed an organization to assist other families seeking international adoption. Said Styll,
I don’t know of anybody who loves his children more than he does and is so committed to the adoption concept, and to lose one, no matter what the circumstances, is heartbreaking beyond all comprehension. He talks about his kids all the time. That’s his life. His kids are more important to him than music, that’s for sure.
Because police have chosen not to identify the driver of the car at this time, CBB won’t be providing the names and ages of Maria’s older siblings.
Source: Steven Curtis Chapman’s Official Website, The Tennessean
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