DENHAM SPRINGS - A family is grieving the loss of a young woman whose life was cut short in after a hit-and-run crash in late March.

Jody Mann, 20, died April 16 in the hospital surrounded by her family, after fighting for weeks to survive being hit by a vehicle in Denham Springs. 

Her mother, Holly Crow, said Jody was walking down the street on March 29th around 9 p.m. from her friend's house on Reinninger Road when she lost contact with her. 

“I have her on Life 360, I kind of watch all of them to make sure they make it there okay, and I noticed her location stopped moving, so I kept calling her, back to back and going to it kept going to voicemail," Crow said. "From that moment it was just constant worry, each minute that went by that I didn't hear back from her, it got worse and worse.”

Troopers say she was struck by Brandon Chenevert, who was arrested days later. Two anonymous tips reportedly identified him as the driver. Chenevert was booked on charges including felony hit and run, negligent injuring, and obstruction of justice.

"He knew this was him, and he still chose not to step forward, and he would have never, he would've gone on with his life like nothing ever happened," Crow said. "I would like to see him in jail for a long, long time. That's the hardest part, knowing that no matter what we do, she still won't be here."

For three weeks, Jody was in and out of surgeries, fighting to stay alive, until she suffered a stroke and was declared brain dead. 

"We'd go over there, and you'd have to stand over here because she had a neck brace on and couldn't move her head, but she would look up and mouth I love you over the ventilator," Crow said.

Jody's organs were donated, her family said it was a true testament to who she was. 

"She was so caring so thoughtful, if she saw anybody that needed anything she wanted to help them," Crow said.

Her older sister said that she’s already seen Jody’s presence since her death.

“She loved dragonflies, and this morning I was leaving with my mom to go to the funeral home and a dragonfly landed on our bird cage," Desiré Crow said. "I looked at it and said ‘hey Jody’, and then I went to grab my phone to snap a photo, and she flew away. That was Jody’s thing, she never wanted to be photographed, and so I said, ‘come back now so I can take a picture for mom’, and it came back.

"I think as long as we embrace the things she embraced, I think we’ll be able to keep her memory alive."