Gospel music star Steven Curtis Chapman‘s 5 year old daughter Maria Sue Chapman was killed in Nashville yesterday when an SUV driven by her teenage brother hit the youngster in the family driveway. The incident was witnessed by family members.
The young girl was taken to Vanderbilt Medical Center where she later died. Tennessee Highway Patrol officials for Williamson County investigated the accident and ruled it accidental.
Chapman and his wife are advocates of international adoption and have created Shaohannah’s Hope, a foundation and ministry to financially assist couples in adoption. They have awarded 1,700 grants to families since the foundation was started.
Maria Sue was the youngest of the couples six children, three of whom were adopted from China. In the above photo that was taken in 2006, the youngster is being help by her father. It has not been reported which of her older brothers was at the wheel of the Toyota Land Cruiser when it struck the child.
Chapman has been awarded 5 Grammy’s and 54 Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association. He has sold 10 million albums and has had 44 #1 hit singles.
See more family photos below.