A tragic car accident in Indiana has left a family and community in mourning after two lives were lost on the way to a birthday party. Jourdan Hudson, 23, was driving an SUV on November 23, 2024, with her sister, a 6-year-old girl, and others when things took a devastating turn. Police say Hudson was speeding at over 100 mph when the vehicle flipped and rolled into a ditch near the 320-mile marker on Interstate 69 in Allen County.
The crash claimed the lives of 6-year-old Nalani Ella Ervins and 25-year-old Jaiden Samaria Marquis Newbolt. Three other passengers, including two young children, were rushed to the hospital with serious injuries. According to the Allen County Sheriff’s Department, the SUV went off the road, hit a guardrail, and rolled over. Two people were thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Initially, Hudson reportedly told police her sister, who died in the crash, had been driving, and she claimed to be sitting in the backseat with the children. However, investigators say she confessed four days later to being behind the wheel. The crash left a trail of heartache, with Hudson now facing several charges, including neglect of a dependent resulting in death, reckless homicide, and neglect leading to serious injury. If convicted, she could spend up to 70 years in prison.
The sheriff’s report highlighted how Hudson took on the responsibility of driving the children, placing their safety in her hands when she got behind the wheel. The reckless speeds she allegedly drove at and the tragic consequences are now the focus of legal proceedings.
GoFundMe pages have been set up for the families of Nalani and Jaiden to help with funeral costs and offer support. Nalani’s mother, Brittany Ervins, described her daughter as a light in everyone’s life, with a smile that could brighten any room. She shared that Nalani loved unicorns, ponies, and rainbows and had a bubbly personality that brought joy to everyone around her. The grieving mother asked for prayers and support, saying any help would mean the world to her family.
This devastating accident has left a ripple effect of pain and heartbreak, with a community grieving two lives cut far too short.
