On a Saturday evening in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a tragic incident cut short the lives of 17-year-old Karrington Len Jade Smith and her unborn son. It was March 12, 2022, and Smith, who was 26 weeks pregnant, was riding in a car with friends on Siegen Lane. The group of five from St. Helena Parish had plans to go to Top Golf for a night of fun. Smith was in the front passenger seat, filled with the joy and anticipation of welcoming her first child, a boy she planned to name Dallas Layne
Husser.
The atmosphere in the car took a dark turn when one of the passengers, 23-year-old Chad Blackard, began playing with his handgun. Blackard, who was seated directly behind Smith, was reportedly bragging about his weapon's superiority to another gun in the car. As he was repositioning the firearm, he claimed to have accidentally squeezed the trigger. A single bullet was discharged, traveling through the passenger seat and striking Smith in the back.
Smith was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical staff, both she and her unborn son, Dallas, succumbed to the fatal gunshot wound. In the immediate aftermath, a wounded Smith initially told authorities that her own gun had accidentally discharged in her purse. However, further investigation by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office pointed to Blackard as the one who fired the weapon.
Chad Blackard was subsequently arrested and faced multiple charges, including negligent homicide, third-degree feticide, and illegal use of a weapon. The tragic event left a community in mourning and a family grieving the loss of a young woman on the cusp of motherhood. Smith, known as 'Jade' to her loved ones, was remembered as a joyful person who made friends everywhere she went. A junior volunteer firefighter in her hometown, she had been diligently working to graduate high school before her son's due date in June 2022. Heartbreakingly, it was discovered the day after her death that she had passed her final tests and had, in fact, graduated.
