ORANGEBURG, S.C. — A family in Orangeburg continues to grow closer a year after losing a beloved mother and waiting uneasily as a multi-state search for her five-year-old daughter unfolded.
Steven Jumper remembers the weeks after hearing about the murder of his aunt, Crystal Jumper.
"Just a lot of wondering, and leaving it up to God; seeing where it goes, and it's been a long road but here we are," he said.
Police said they were called to Crystal Jumper's home on Thanksgiving for a wellness check when they found her dead. Her five-year-old daughter, Aspen Jeter, was missing.
On Dec. 9, 2022, the family's prayers were answered when Aspen was found in Virginia. According to law enforcement, she was with her father, Antar Jeter, who is now being held on murder charges.
Facing the possibility of Aspen going into foster care, Steven and his wife, Katie, chose to become her primary caregivers.
"We didn't have to step up, but we knew we wanted to; a bunch of prayers, and God answered our prayers, brought her home, and we had her in our home," she said.
News19 spoke with the family in January when Aspen began living with them after weeks of paperwork and waiting.
"When we first got Aspen, she couldn't do anything on her own," Katie said.
A year later, the Jumpers have fully incorporated Aspen and her almost daily physical therapy appointments into their lives.
"I'll tell you it's been sleepless nights, long days. Therapy twice a week, sometimes up to three times a week. We travel to Columbia every week for therapy," Katie Jumper said.
Now, Aspen can stand and, according to Katie, even talk.
"Her extremities down below were very weak, just pretty much there," she said. "But it's a miracle; I'll be honest, God has really worked wonders on Aspen."
News19 contacted the first solicitor's office for updates on Antar Jeter's trial but did not receive a response. The Orangeburg County jail confirmed that Jeter is being housed there but did not have information regarding when the trial would take place.