The Hart family case refers to a 2018 murder–suicide in which two mothers, Jennifer and Sarah Hart, killed themselves and their six adopted children by driving their SUV off a California cliff.

What happened to the Hart family?

The crash

On March 26, 2018, Jennifer Hart drove the family’s SUV off a cliff along the Pacific Coast Highway in Mendocino County, California.

All eight family members were presumed dead: Jennifer and Sarah, and their six adopted children, Markis, Hannah, Devonte, Jeremiah, Abigail, and Ciera.

Investigators later determined the vehicle’s speed and lack of skid marks showed the plunge was intentional, not an accident.

A coroner’s jury officially ruled that Jennifer and Sarah died by suicide and that the children were victims of homicide.

Abuse and warning signs before the deaths

In the years before the crash, multiple reports and investigations alleged that the Hart children were abused and neglected.

Key points that emerged afterward:

  • Neighbors said the children appeared malnourished and sometimes begged for food, asking for things like bread and peanut butter.
  • In one serious incident, 16‑year‑old Hannah reportedly jumped out of a second‑story window at night and ran to neighbors, saying her mothers were racist and abusive and that she was being whipped with belts.
  • Neighbors told authorities they rarely saw the children outside, and that the kids seemed isolated and controlled.
  • Records showed earlier child‑welfare involvement in several states (Minnesota, Oregon, Washington), with concerns about physical punishment and food deprivation.

Just days before the crash, child protective services in Washington had opened a new investigation into allegations of abuse and neglect, and a caseworker had tried to contact the family at their home.

By the time officials returned, the family had abruptly left; shortly after, the SUV went off the cliff in California.

Social media image vs. reality

Online, the Harts presented themselves as a loving, progressive family with six adopted Black children, often posting polished photos at protests, festivals, and road trips.

Images included the viral 2014 photo of Devonte Hart hugging a white police officer at a Ferguson‑related protest, which had made the family famous for a time.

Behind those images, later reporting and analysis highlighted:

  • The children looked extremely thin in some photos, which others had noticed even before the crash.
  • The parents tightly controlled the narrative about the children’s backgrounds and the supposed bullying and racism they faced, while minimizing or hiding abuse allegations.
  • Commentators and authors have argued that the case shows how a carefully curated online image can mask serious harm, and how systems may be less likely to question parents who appear “ideal” on the surface.

Aftermath, unanswered questions, and broader impact

Some remains were found quickly after the crash; others were identified later through DNA testing, while Devonte’s remains have never been found and he is still officially missing, though authorities believe he died in the crash.

Coroner findings recorded the mothers’ deaths as suicide and the six children’s deaths as homicide, but the precise motive—beyond avoiding exposure and loss of control—remains partly speculative.

Writers, advocates, and child‑welfare experts now point to the Hart family tragedy as:

  • Evidence of serious gaps in foster care and adoption oversight, especially after finalization of adoptions.
  • A case study in how racial dynamics, “white savior” narratives, and idealized adoption stories can make it harder for authorities and communities to recognize and act on warning signs.
  • A reminder that adoption is not automatically a “happy ending” and that vulnerable children need ongoing monitoring and support.

Quick FAQ style recap

  • Who were they? Two white mothers, Jennifer and Sarah Hart, and their six adopted Black children.
  • What happened? In March 2018, their SUV was intentionally driven off a California cliff, killing the family.
  • Accident or intentional? Officially ruled a murder–suicide; no evidence of an accident.
  • Was there prior abuse? Multiple reports and investigations described physical abuse, food deprivation, and extreme control.
  • Latest status? The case is closed as a murder–suicide; Devonte’s remains have not been found, but authorities believe he died with his siblings.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.