A popular TikTok star and her mother were killed in a horrific car crash in Houston, Texas, on Monday, while they were on their way to a Juneteenth celebration. Britney Murphy, 35, who goes by the TikTok handle ThatGirlBritneyJoy, and her mother Sherie Smith, 53, were victims of a collision on West Tidwell Road, police said.
Tiffany Cofield, Murphy's sister, said that they were leaving her home and were going to a Juneteenth celebration at Emancipation Park when they were hit by a gray pickup truck. The crash happened just moments after Murphy posted what would be her final TikTok video. An investigation into the horrific crash has been launched.
Celebration Turns into Tragedy
Houston police said Murphy was behind the wheel when a truck hit the car, she and her mother were in. "There will never be a time when I won't miss my mother and my sister. They were my best friends. They were everything," Tiffany Smith Cofield, Murphy's sister and Smith's daughter told ABC 13.
Photographs of the crash show the overturned black sedan that was being driven by Murphy, while Houston authorities confirmed that both women were tragically killed on the scene. Additionally, the police reported that the mother had her arms wrapped around her daughter when they found their bodies.
"It looked like her car and everybody, when I was walking up, said a mom and daughter died and I knew they had left and knew the only mom and daughter would be my mom and sister," said Cofield.
She went on to say that she was "so proud" of her sister for gaining a following of more than 400,000 in just four short months and that she wanted people to remember her sister "not for the way she died, but for the way she lived, the life she loved, and who she inspired."
In response to the situation, Cofield has initiated a GoFundMe campaign, explaining that the family lacks the necessary resources to appropriately handle the simultaneous funerals of Murphy and Smith.
"This happened so suddenly and was truly something I could have never imagined. Losing my best friends," read the description on the fundraiser page.
A Star Is Gone
The fundraising campaign has raised more than $55,000, which is a significant portion of its $70,000 objective. Murphy captured considerable online attention through her distinctive sense of humor showcased on her @ThatGirlBritneyJoy social media account.
Within a span of merely four months, her follower count skyrocketed from 4,000 to an impressive 400,000.
"I was so proud of her," said Cofield.
Murphy uploaded her final video on her social media platform just moments before the crash. She titled the video: Murphy's last TikTok was posted on the day of her death with the title: "POV: YOU FORGOT ITS JUNETEENTH. NO WORK TODAY!"
The video shows her preparing for work but realizing that she actually had the day off due to the holiday. In the footage, she can be seen enjoying a bottle of wine and taking a moment to unwind on the couch.
Initially, the comments section was brimming with viewers' laughter and enjoyment of Murphy's content. However, following the tragic incident, the tone of the comments has shifted dramatically to expressing condolences and sympathy.
"I can't believe she's gone just after posting this,'" one fan wrote.
"It's so crazy how fast a life can change RIP,' wrote another heartbroken fan, while a third wrote, "You never know what will be your last moments."
"I'm so..distraught...You were just here...omg rip baby," wrote another person.
