Singer Steven Curtis Chapman's Daughter Dies in Tragic Accident

Grammy-winning Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman suffered an unthinkable tragedy Wednesday when his 5-year-old daughter was killed in an accident involving her brother.

Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria Sue, was hit in the driveway of her family's Franklin, Tenn., home by an SUV driven by her teenage brother, the Associated Press reports. The brother, whose name was not released, apparently did not see the girl.

Several family members witnessed the accident, according to the AP. Maria Sue later died at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Laurie Holloway said.

"It looks like a tragic accident," said Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol. No charges are expected.

"Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman's completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago," Chapman's manager Jim Houser wrote on a blog dedicated to Maria that was set up for condolences. "These words are unthinkable to type."

Longtime advocates of international adoption, Chapman and his wife adopted three daughters from China, including Maria, and have three biological children as well.

"After our first trip to China, my wife and I knew our lives were changing – our eyes and hearts were opening to how big God really is, and we have wanted to experience more of that," Chapman said on his Web site.

The singer also wrote a book about being a father titled Cinderella: The Love of Daddy and his Princess.

Via people.com