Nationwide — Nyxailia Hinton, a 21-month-old African American girl from Sevierville, Tennessee, died after a car struck her at a pumpkin patch. Her family is seeking answers about the incident, which happened while she was in the care of a babysitter who allegedly took her there without her mother’s permission. Her mother, Peandra Hinton, said she did not know her daughter had been taken to the pumpkin patch. She also said the toddler was with a group of people she did not know. The circumstances surrounding the outing have left the family with questions about how the child ended up in the path of the vehicle and what happened before the collision.
According to KWTX, the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office said Nyxailia fell and was struck by a car driven by a family friend. Investigators have not explained how she fell or provided further details about where the collision occurred. Her mother rushed to the hospital after learning about the incident, but the toddler died from her injuries on Tuesday.
As the family waits for more information, Hinton is grieving the loss of her daughter. She described Nyxailia as a joyful child who could brighten anyone’s day, even when they were having a difficult time. “She just lit up the room,” Hinton said. “If you were having a bad day, you see Zayla, she’s gonna turn it all around.”
She also described the past two days had been overwhelming, saying the hardest part has been waking up and realizing her daughter is no longer there. The loss has left her struggling to adjust to life without the toddler. “The fact that I couldn’t wake up this morning to my baby, it really tore me up,” she said.
The family is now preparing for the toddler’s funeral while calling for accountability. Her father said they want justice and will continue seeking answers about what happened. He emphasized that his daughter was not even 22 months old when she died. The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation remains ongoing, and no charges have been filed.