Grieving Father Pays Tribute to Slain Daughter

Published date

Thursday, March 26, 2009

In tears, a grieving father speaks out after the suspicious death of his 3-year-old little girl, Natalynn Miller.

"She had the brightest, most beautiful eyes and prettiest smile. She was the sweetest, most beautiful daughter that any father could ever ask for," said Troy Miller.
Miller spoke to KMPH News on the eve of his daughter's funeral. The three-year-old will be laid to rest on Friday. Natalynn died on Sunday of blunt force trauma to the head and body, according to the Tulare County Coroner. On Wednesday, the Visalia Police Department arrested 25-year-old Ryann Jones on suspicion of murder. Investigators say Jones was babysitting Natalynn at the time of her death. Jones is the boyfriend of Natalynn's mother.

The toddler's father says Natalynn was terrified of her mother's boyfriend and expressed her fears to him on many occasions.

"She was very smart and very talkative, and she had told me a lot of things about the situation that led up to this," said Miller.

But on the day before her funeral, Miller says he does not want anyone to reflect on how Natalynn's life ended, only on how at such a young age, he says, she changed the world.

"She brought joy and happiness into every person's life that she came in contact with," said Miller.

Miller says it was impossible for anyone to walk by little Natalynn and not comment on her big blue eyes. The 3-year-old is the youngest of four children. Her big sister Misty and her brothers Josh and Curtis describe her as a happy little girl, always with a smile on her face.

"She loved her brother, she loved to play, sing, and dance, she loved to get her picture taken, she loved to smile pretty for the camera," said Miller.

Miller says he would give anything for one more picture with his daughter, something that cannot happen anymore.

"There are a lot of good memories, I know for us and for a lot of other people too, she's going to be missed," said Miller.

Little Natalynn would have turned 4-years-old this June.

Natalynn Miller will be laid to rest Friday. Services begin at 1:30pm at the Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel in Visalia.