'A True Nightmare': 3-Year-Old Girl Dies After Being 'Brutally Injured,' and Father Is Charged

A 3-year-old girl Texas girl has died after she was allegedly injured by her father, who now is jailed in connection with her death.

Elena Rae Joiner died Wednesday, according to Tarrant County Medical Examiner records. Her cause of death was listed as pending as of Friday morning.

On Monday, her father, Billy Ray Joiner, was jailed on charges of injury to a child, aggravated assault in retaliation and evading arrest.

On a GoFundMe page set up by Elena's family, Mattrik Malone, who identifies herself as the victim's aunt, wrote, "My sweet 3-year-old niece was brutally injured", and that "our sweet angel" was hurt "to the point she suffered from a heart attack and went into cardiac arrest."

The page, created while the girl was still alive, said Elena also suffered a brain injury and was given a 6% chance to survive.

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"I can't seem to even find the words to put on here as we are shaken by the whole situation," Malone wrote, adding, "It's just a true nightmare."

Another aunt, Miranda Malone, spoke to WFAA about Elena. "She was a normal 3-year-old," Malone said. "She just wanted to play, to be loved. She didn't deserve this. We want justice for her."

The outlet, citing Tarrant County court records, reports that Joiner was charged in 2020 with assault of a family member and evading arrest, but received deferred adjudication for both charges.

It was not immediately clear if Joiner has entered a plea or retained an attorney to comment on his behalf.