Baltimore, MD – The family of 3-year-old Jordan Bright is demanding answers after a 14-year-old was sentenced Wednesday in connection with the child’s death.
Jordan was struck and killed in June on West Pratt Street near South Monroe Street in Baltimore, according to police. Authorities said the teenager was driving a stolen vehicle at the time. He was charged with auto theft and vehicular manslaughter and prosecuted through Maryland’s juvenile justice system.
Because the defendant is a juvenile, officials have not released details of Wednesday’s sentence.
For Jordan’s mother, Nyjada Billy, the lack of information has added to the family’s frustration.
“This is so important and for me not to be able to talk about it is frustrating,” Billy said. “Because he’s a juvenile, I can’t even speak the truth about what just happened.”
Billy said she believes the juvenile justice system has failed her daughter and has provided the teenager with opportunities Jordan will never have.
“Jordan will never get a chance at life, but throughout this process we have watched the juvenile justice system give chance after chance to the person that took her,” Billy said.
The family was also reportedly instructed not to disclose details about what occurred inside the juvenile justice center during Wednesday’s proceedings.
What Happens in Juvenile Court?
The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office said juveniles can, in certain circumstances, be committed to the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services until they reach age 21.
Probation can range from six months of supervision to three or four years, depending on whether the offense is classified as a misdemeanor or felony. Commitment is available only in felony cases, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office.
Baltimore attorney Warren Brown said consequences in juvenile cases can include placement in a juvenile facility, followed by home detention and continued supervision. Counseling and other services may also be part of the juvenile disposition.
But for Jordan’s family, rehabilitation of the teenager cannot change what has been lost.
‘Jordan Will Never Get a Chance at Life’
Billy said her family must now move forward without her daughter, remembering Jordan for her big smile and her love of skating.
The family is now calling on Maryland lawmakers and local officials to examine the case and consider whether the state’s juvenile justice system provides the level of accountability families expect when a child is killed.
The case comes as Maryland prepares for another significant change to its juvenile justice laws. The Youth Charging Reform Act is scheduled to take effect next month.
For Jordan’s family, the debate over juvenile rehabilitation and accountability is not theoretical. They are left mourning a 3-year-old whose life ended while the teenager accused of causing her death remains protected by the confidentiality provisions of Maryland’s juvenile justice system.
Jordan’s family may not be permitted to discuss the details of Wednesday’s sentence, but Billy’s message was clear: her daughter cannot be given another chance at life, and the family wants to know what accountability looks like for the person accused of taking it away.
