A South Carolina detective who was first on scene in the June 2021 Murdaugh murders has lost his three-year-old daughter after his SUV crashed into a tree.
Detective Sergeant Daniel Greene was off duty at the time of the one-sided horror crash that occurred at about 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
CARE Flight med-e-vacated his daughter, Carter, for medical treatment to a nearby hospital where she was later pronounced dead as a result of her injuries.
Greene, his wife, Jennifer, and another child were also taken to the hospital for serious, non-life-threatening injuries, according to The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office.
Carter was the daughter of the officer and his former partner Ashley Taylor Greene, who posted a heartbreaking tribute to her daughter: “My beautiful sweet baby girl. My perfect angel. I miss you very much.’
Detective Sergeant Daniel Greene was off duty when he crashed into a tree killing his three-year-old daughter and injuring himself, his new wife and another child
Greene later testified in the Murdaugh trial and helped convict Alex of the brutal murders of his wife Maggie and son Paul
There has been no condition update for Greene, Jennifer and the other child, who remains anonymous, but Jennifer was seen online a few days after the incident.
Words will never be enough to describe the pain we feel in our hearts, please continue to pray for our family, especially Daniel and Ashley! I will always love this sweet little princess!!’ Jennifer wrote in reference to Carter.
Greene has remained silent in the wake of the tragedy. However, his former partner Ashley posted a heartbreaking video and photo as she mourned the loss.
Pictured, Carter can be seen running into Ashley’s arms in the Facebook post captioned, “I’ll never understand why you had to leave us, or how we’re supposed to live this life without you.” I’m so lost without you and I’m so angry.
“This will never make sense to me. You were taken from me way too soon. God knows I need you here. I wish I could hear you say “I love you more” one more time, and give you all the bear hugs in the world.
‘I don’t know a world without you. You are the most beautiful miracle God could have ever given me, the absolute best thing that has ever been mine. Mama loves you more, princess.’
Greene has remained silent in the wake of the tragedy. However, his former partner Ashley posted a heartbreaking video and photo as she mourned the loss
A video also posted alongside the image reveals the doting mother arguing over who loves the other more.
“I love you more,” Ashley says to Carter who giggles, “No, I love you more.”
On Greene’s Facebook, a description read “Daddy/Superhero to the best little girl” alongside images of his beloved daughter.
Tributes from family and friends poured out for the toddler who will have visitors on Saturday and a funeral service on Sunday.
“Little Miss Carter Alivia Greene left this world at the age of 3 with a heart full of love on Sunday afternoon, July 30, 2023 at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston,” read a family obituary.
There has been no condition update for Greene (right), Jennifer (pictured far left) and the other child, who remains anonymous, but Jennifer was seen online a few days after the incident
Born on February 17, 2020, so it continueshe stole the hearts of everyone she met.”
“She had a smile that could never be forgotten and she started each day as her favorite princess, which was herself.
“She will always be remembered for her love of bubbles and that Edisto Beach was her favorite place to be.”
She was a rising star at Colleton Preparatory Academy and was part of the school’s cheer group ‘Teeny Hawks’.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.
Greene made headlines as one of the first responding officers to the scene of the brutal murders at the hands of Alex Murdaugh, who was convicted this year of murdering his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22.
Bodycam footage shows the moment Greene arrives at the Murdaugh family estate on the Moselle and comes face to face with Alex in the aftermath of the shootings.
Greene later testified and helped convict Alex of the brutal murders.
In a gruesome 911 call, Murdaugh sobbed to the dispatcher, “I see[Paul’s]shot to the head and he’s shot really bad… He’s got blood all over.” I can see his brain.’
He then described how his wife lay nearby and told the dispatcher ‘she has a hole in her head’.
Murdaugh told the dispatcher that his son “has been threatened for months and months and months.”
During the trial, Greene told jurors that he couldn’t see any blood on Murdaugh and while he seemed upset, he didn’t see any tears either.
Murdaugh sounded clear as the officer questioned him and is even heard casually greeting an officer who arrives at the scene and says, “How are you?”
Greene, who said he saw multiple tire tracks inconsistent with the number of vehicles at the hunting lodge, admitted he did not photograph the tracks or footprints at the scene at the time.
He said he did not notify SLED (state law enforcement) of the evidence because it was “not part of my job description.”
Alex Murdaugh pictured with his wife Maggie and their two sons Paul (left) and Buster
Murdaugh claimed he visited his elderly mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and came home to find Maggie and Paul dead near the estate’s dog kennels.
Greene also showed the jurors a shotgun that Murdaugh had in his hand when he arrived – he kept the gun in his patrol car because the defendant appeared “upset and anxious.”
Greene said when he approached Murdaugh his “immediate response was to tell me about his son — about a boating accident.” At the time of his death, Paul was on trial for the drunken boat crash that killed Mallory Beach.
The trial took place at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, a sleepy, rural town 50 miles west of Charleston in a low-lying South Carolina region over which the Murdaugh family wielded enormous judicial and political power.
Alex Murdaugh is serving two consecutive life sentences and faces additional charges for a litany of other financial crimes unraveled from the murders.