At approximately 5:00pm on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, five years old and the youngest daughter to Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Maria was rushed to Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital in Nashville, transported by LifeFlight, but died of her injuries there. Maria is one of the close knit family’s six children and one of their three adopted daughters.

Left to Right: Will Franklin, Maria, Steven Curtis, Shaoey, Mary Beth, Stevey Joy, Caleb, and Emily Chapman. [Photo: Tucker Photography, Inc.]

Nashville’s The Tennessean newspaper has posted further details of the accident here.

More than five years ago, Chapman and his wife Mary Beth founded The Shaohannah’s Hope Ministry after bringing their first adopted daughter, Shaohannah, home from China. The ministry’s goal is to help families reduce the financial barrier of adoption, and has provided grants to over 1700 families wishing to adopt orphans from around the world.

The organization is currently reaching out to help those in need due to the recent earthquake in China. The ministry is supporting volunteers in the area who are heading to the front line of the earthquake to care for the orphans in the affected areas. Shaohannah’s Hope is using donated funds to help purchase needed items for the children, especially tents, food, and medicine.

Please keep the family in your prayers during this very difficult time.